Paperwork, Drama, and Shipgirls
by TheGrimTroupe
Summary: Years into the Siren War, Shikikan has gathered many ships of various factions against the Sirens. Currently, they are silent and haven't engaged any of the fleets. As a result, Shikikan has time to catch up on paperwork and deal with the many shipgirls a part of Azur Lane. See the day to day experience of the commander dealing with said girls.
1. Chapter 1

**I do not own any of the characters of Azur Lane, just this interpretation of the Commander**

A sight of the bright blue sky hung over the specs of land surrounded by vast oceans. To anyone traveling long voyages, the small islands were a haven for resupply and refueling. On the said island was a heavily fortified island packed to the brim with coastal defenses. Coastal guns pointed in all directions with hidden AA turrets nearby to take on any aircraft trying to disable the main defense. A dock housing many battleships, destroyers, and cruisers were begging for an enemy to test the armament there. Lastly, underneath the ocean, were submarines patrolling the area as an early reconnaissance team.

Despite all that, the island itself was quite beautiful from afar and up close. Just beyond the docks were buildings to house the various humans that ran the day to day operations. Further down the dock was a series of stores maintained by locals or some of the shipgirls themselves. Just beyond those was an academy with classes, storage facilities, and munitions to service the shipgirls themselves. Finally, hidden through the vegetation was a single building smaller than the rest.

But this smaller size did not reduce the effectiveness of the structure's purpose. This was the commander's personal home and office. Entering the building, guests would be greeted by one large hallway with many rooms to the left and right side of it. There would be insignias of the various ship groups that each door corresponded to. Smaller insignias would display the ship type, especially for those of the Eagle Union and Royal Navy who had many ships. But at the very end of the hallway was a set of double doors that opened up into a large office.

A large desk was the first thing in sight with piles of paperwork that had either been completed or reports given by the various fleets. Apparently, the task was given to one person for a set period of time before they would be replaced. Behind the desk was a smaller door that was the commander's personal office area that also functioned as a room if he found himself too sleepy to walk to his actual room.

The commander was busy working on paperwork with a weary look on his face, his eyes looking a bit bloodshot due to lack of sleep, "How many more damn piles will they keep sending me?"

He put the pen down once he slew the current monster in front of him, pushing back from his small desk with a sigh. The Sirens being silent was a good thing for him, but also a curse as now he had to catch up on paperwork. Thankfully the many shipgirls he had acquired and got to know made this a lot more bearable, to an extent. When it wasn't Sirens causing a problem, it was the shipgirls themselves that were the issue.

The various fleets did not always get along with each other, sometimes even threatening to shoot each other on the spot. These tensions boiled in the early weeks when the commander was basically assigned to hell. It took months, years, to get the factions to at least get along enough to not have guns firing. That didn't mean they weren't throwing insults every once in a while and occasionally a fight broke out. Mainly the prideful Italian ships and their German allies would try to stoke the flames of the British.

Before the commander could think more about the past events and how he was put in this situation, the sounds of knocking broke his concentration, "Come in."

The door opened to reveal with youthful, but still mature, woman dressed in a white kimono with red eyeliner on her face. Her pale hair matched her outfit which gave an impression of a crane due to the ends of her sleeves forming wings. A hairpiece nestled on the left side of her head firmly and her calm blue eyes were entrancing to look at. She had white stockings that reached all the way up her thighs with her factions standard wooden sandals. She was a newer addition to the combined force on the island, along with her sister, which was always an added bonus.

"Shikikan, the paperwork is all done. You need some rest," the woman spoke in a soft voice filled with both wisdom and calmness, that caring sister feeling

"I still have another set from the I-," the commander tried to reply back but the woman had walked up to his desk and took his pen, disarming the officer from his war on paper

"Rest, now. Save your strength for another day and do not let it be wasted on wishful thinking," the tone of her voice was enough to have the commander let his shoulders slump a bit in defeat

The commander slowly rose from his seat and made his way towards one side of the room, finding his lone bed there to allow him some rest, "You have a way with words, Shoukaku."

Shoukaku let a light smile trace her lips as she sat down on the commander's bed before he could lay down, patting a spot next to her, "My sister, Zuikaku, would do the same thing. Never resting until the enemy was destroyed, and almost getting herself destroyed in the process."

The commander laid down on his side and found his head lying in the lap of Shoukaku, the maiden lightly tracing his hair, "If I remember right, she and Enterprise fought many times."

"Yes, far too many for my liking," Shoukaku admitted, her smile turning into a frown, "I fear that one day she will get over her head and I will not be there to save her."

A frown formed on the commander's face while his eyes closed, "I try to get them to work together. It always seems to blow up in my face."

"Maybe it is for the best they don't fight side by side, yet." Shoukaku let a weary sigh escape her lips, prompting the commander to open his eyes to look at her

"You're just as tired as me," he noted, his finger tracing an area near her eyes that was sagging a bit, a result of stress or exhaustion

The crane maiden only shook her head despite the commander's observation, "The little ones got scared from Washington's 'smile' that she so desperately tried to make. I had to play for them until they calmed down to sleep. By the time I stopped, it was already my time to assist you."

"Then you're getting some sleep, that's an order," a smug smile played on the commander's lips, prompting Shoukaku to blush slightly

"In the same bed, Shikikan? I didn't think you were t-,"

The commander had scooted over until one side of the bed was open for Shoukaku to lay on, "I'm not perverted. I just want to make sure you're giving your best out there. That and I don't think the destroyers will quiet down anytime soon."

The Sakura Empire carrier couldn't argue against that argument. It would be hypocritical of her to deny that order for both her own honor and her own order for her Shikikan to rest. Laying herself on the free space given to her, she closed her eyes and found herself in sleep's embrace quickly.

* * *

It had been hours before the sound of light knocking was heard. Shikikan and Shoukaku were still entranced under sleep's spell to hear the knocking before the door opened. The day had gone to night at this point, making the whole room almost void of light. With the door now opened, more light filled the void inside revealing another feminine figure now standing over the sleeping duo.

Shikikan began to stir out of his sleep when he felt a shake on his leg, looking up to find another pale haired woman wearing a darker uniform over him. Even though his sleepy eyes, his mind immediately recognized who this woman was based on the fact she had one of her index fingers up to her lips as if pondering something. It was Prinz Eugen, the heavy cruiser that joined Shikikan's fleet a couple of weeks into the battle against the Sirens.

Although, Eugen was always a bit of a mystery to the commander. She had a completely different way with words, usually being sarcastic or teasing. At this very moment, this was a perfect opportunity for Eugen to really get Shikikan.

"Enjoying a Sakura carrier's bosom are we, Commander? You rascal," the German Heavy Cruiser had a slight smile

Shikikan rose a brow at her words until he looked downward to find Shoukaku pressed against him with her head resting against his chest. Part of her kimono was slightly falling off her shoulders which revealed more of her cleavage much to Shikikan's dismay. Anyone seeing this would assume that he was being a pervert which was the perfect moment for Eugen.

Blushing quite red to amuse the heavy cruiser, Shikikan slowly detached himself from Shoukaku, "I'm assuming you aren't just here to tease me."

"No, but it was well worth it." Eugen replied putting her hands behind her back, "I'm here to relieve Shoukaku from being the secretary."

The Commander gave a nod as he slowly got out of the bed, careful to not wake the sleeping carrier while rubbing his eyes. At least the sleep was good, too good. He had set up a rotating schedule so every faction had a ship as Shikikan's secretary during certain portions of the day. One for the morning hours, one during the afternoon, and one during the evening. As more and more factions appeared, the schedule came in handy to lower the tensions. Of course, who was sent was decided by the factions themselves.

"I forgot you purposely request night hours," Shikikan commented, fixing his uniform a bit until a hand stopped him

"No need to be formal, we'll finish the paperwork later," Eugen insisted, wanting to see her commander looking more comfortable

Shikikan let a small smile grace his lips at that, his hand finding itself lightly holding Eugen's, "Having something special planned or is this one of your fantasies?"

The heavy cruiser only smiled while her hand was being held by Shikikan. However, usually she wore gloves but since there weren't any operations she was a part of, she had them removed. Her smooth and pale skin felt Shikikan's slightly tan and calloused ones, years of wielding the pen while she wielded the gun. The pen may be mightier than the sword, but a gun hits from further away.

"For you, something a little special. That's why I waited until now to see you," Eugen spoke after some time passed

The light from the hallway had struck a specific part of her hand on her ring finger, where a beautifully cut ruby rested. She hardly wore it during combat but now that she was going to be around her Shikikan more often, the gloves had to go.

Pulling on his hand, Eugen led Shikikan out of his room, leaving Shoukaku to sleep peacefully.

* * *

The two were now walking down the street that circled the entire island and led to all the important facilities. Most of the other shipgirls were asleep besides those who either had the night shift or were night owls. All the street lamps were on and evenly spaced to allow good lighting for all the inhabitants.

The sea looked dark due to the sun being replaced with the moon. The parts of it illuminated by the light of the streetlamps or the patrolling ships made it feel like specs of blue in a sea of black. The stars shone brightly above with a few constellations visible at this time of year while the rest were viewed elsewhere.

"You certainly picked a night for this," Shikikan noted, staring up at the glittering night while his hand firmly grasped with Eugen's

The Iron Blood heavy cruiser had her index finger of her other hand to her lips, humming, "We're not there yet."

Shikikan raised a brow, where would Eugen take him? There weren't really any restaurants or luxuries that could be expected on the island. The only shops were the ones the shipgirls made themselves, using the coins they scavenged from sunk vessels. How they got the rest of the materials was still a question.

Shikikan wanted to ask what Prinz Eugen had in mind but decided against it. He then felt her press against him as they walked, making the simple act of walking more romantic. The stores they passed by were closed or closing. There was only one that Shikikan knew would be open for at least another hour or so.

Walking to the end of this particular section of the street, one single store was still open. The yellow lights were still enlightening the storefront with the smell of food begging for hungry stomachs to enter. The smell was reminiscent of bread, vegetables, and herbs. This had to be the one shop the new Italian shipgirls owned.

Shikikan opened the door for Eugen to step forward first, the smell of food intensifying greatly now with the barriers down. Several tables were arranged with neatly having chairs of two or four, depending on the party size. The front, where the cashier was stationed, was manned by a lone girl that looked roughly in her teens.

She had her golden hair neatly curled up as usual but she didn't wear her normal uniform. She seemed to wear something more of a waitress. She was shorter than Shikikan and Eugen with violet eyes that displayed both youthfulness and discipline. It was the Sardegna Destroyer Carabiniere, Shikikan's self-promoted 'bodyguard' when he was in a pinch. Her eyes looked up at them, going wide for a moment before saluting.

"Commander! I wasn't expecting you, f-forgive my attire," the little destroyer fumbled, trying desperately to save any shred of honor she had left to her superior

The commander chuckled while waving the salute off since it was late in the night, "At ease. No need to be formal, or was Cavour chastising you again."

Carabiniere sighed, her shoulders slumping in relief, "Just the usual, Commander. But what is the occasion that brought the unkillable Prinz Eugen here?"

Eugen hummed once more before she laid her head on Shikikan's shoulder while still having her index finger on her lips, "A date of course, or were you thinking of an ambush?"

The Sardegna destroyer jumped up at the mention of an ambush, looking around quickly with widened eyes and some of her hair losing "A-ambush?! Where?!"

Both Shikikan and Eugen laughed at Carabiniere's reaction, prompting the destroyer to look down in shame before getting serious once more. Since it was obvious these two were on a date, the destroyer quickly set up a single table for two with candles lit and roses encased in a vase. No menus were given since the Sardinian ships knew a little about romantic dinners. Lastly, a bottle of wine was left on the table for the couple to share.

"You know, I haven't seen any of those shipgirls try to swoon you yet. Do you not like Sardegnian tastes, commander~?" Eugen asked, trying to pry into her superior's head during this late night

Shikikan poured a glass for both of them before answering, "I mean, Carabiniere is always around during the day but I haven't exactly spoken with them all too much. Don't they communicate with the Iron Blood?"

"Hm, yes and no. Allies at first but it was as fragile as poor glass. Interests often clash between us when we were your enemy. I think they're jealous I got to you first," the Iron Blood heavy cruiser mused before taking her glass and raising it towards him, "To an endless night like this."

Shikikan smiled while raising his own glass in response, "To an end to this damn war."

Both took a sip of the wine, aged perfectly for the best possible taste. Neither seemed to pay attention to a pair of amber eyes watching them from a doorway. Her eyes narrowed at them for a moment before turning her gaze elsewhere. No need to cause a scene when these two were perfectly content with their date so far. But it did make this stranger wonder what tomorrow had to offer.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: I do want to clear the air a bit by saying that I interpret the shipgirl rigging works more towards the anime style. Also, some aspects are closer to the manga for comedic sake.**

* * *

The following day after Shikikan had his romantic date with Eugen, he found himself slaying the hated beast known as paperwork. Thankfully, this task was much easier with his current secretary being the elegant and beautiful Hood. She had much more experience in being a secretary than most of the other shipgirls thanks to her early career under Shikikan's leadership. Being one of his first battlecruisers shortly after Eugen joined him. For one of the most renowned ships under the Royal Navy, despite the fact she was one-shotted by Bismark, she easily found herself among Shikikan's favorite secretaries.

Not only could she hold herself in a battle but she could make a stack of papers child's play. Either it was something with the Royal Navy or Hood was just naturally gifted with signing the papers off without a single mistake and have time for tea. Speaking of tea, when Hood was around, Shikikan found himself enjoying tea much more than normal.

Part of it was how Hood presented herself towards others. She was soft-spoken and elegant with her messages, even threats when she really meant them. Her lady-like nature made her humble before all the other shipgirls. She dressed more modestly compared to other battlecruisers from the other factions. She stayed away from causing drama and focused on keeping the peace. Best of all, she never complained with the task she was given. But really, tea was better than coffee when the commander wasn't lacking in sleep.

If that wasn't something the average man would become smitten by, Shikikan was no exception. He found himself looking forward to having Hood around for the reasons before, but also another one. Two actually, but the last reason was more of a perverted one than a genuine. Everytime they spoke to each other whether it was about the Sirens, Akashi's ridiculous prices, or personal matters; Shikikan felt like his face grow hot.

Opening the door to his office with a content sigh, he found stacking the papers neatly for the maids to pick up. Approaching behind her, he took off his hat to rub his hand through his hair, feeling the stubs that they were due to military protocol, "Everything good on your end, Hood?"

The battlecruiser curtly smiled and nodded before her commander, "Of course, it wasn't all that bad. I must say that it is good to see you again, Commander."

He felt his face flush but thankfully the weather was the saving grace today, "Likewise."

The weather for this particular day had been predicted to be quite warm. Being on an island, that wasn't a surprise with their location close to the equator. However, when it got hot, it was humid as well. The heat was bearable this time around but Shikikan had to loosen up his uniform. Hood looked fine despite the fact she was wearing her full attire.

Offering a cup of tea to him, Hood spoke, "Commander, may I make a request for today?"

"Go ahead," Shikikan answered while accepting the drink gratefully.

"Since the Sirens have been absent as of now, I believe it would be best for the morale of the others to enjoy the beach," Hood explained, her hands lying in her lap as she turned towards her senior officer, "It would certainly help ease any ill will between factions."

The commander took a sip of the warm drink while his mind was on Hood's suggestion. On one hand, it would be a great idea so everyone could relieve their stress but the problem was the concern of a sneak attack. Sure, the Sirens were not appearing lately, but that didn't mean they weren't there. Then again, not everyone enjoyed the beach. So there should be a relatively good defense in the case of a surprise.

"Alright, request granted." Shikikan finished the drink with a small smile traced on his lips, "Just make sure everyone finishes their current tasks before they head down."

Hood smiled in return before getting up and out of the office. Shikikan watched her leave and unlike the other shipgirls, her dress hid her features. She looked like she was simply walking with no sway in her step. His eyes traveled from her back down to her rear that was hidden thanks to her dress.

"_Goddammit. I'm a pervert aren't I?" _Shikikan thought to himself as he went to change into more appropriate attire for the beach

* * *

Shikikan let out a sigh of content as he walked up to the jeep behind the office building. It was a standard issue jeep with no modifications besides the back being wide open to allow more people to sit. He had gotten rid of his uniform to wear a simple white tank top and a pair of green shorts. He brought along an umbrella and some other goods for the ride. Being the only male on the island, he made mental notes to not do something stupid.

The last thing he needed was to get one of these girls impreg-...Why was he thinking that?!

"Ugh, the sooner this war is over, the sooner I can go home."

His face felt like it was on fire while he stashed his goods in a compartment. Maybe this was a terrible idea considering he was now going to deal with all the shipgirls in beach attire. Opening the door and sitting in the driver's seat, he took a few breaths to calm down. The car roared to life as he inserted the key and turned it on. The radio hummed to life before the sounds of swing music flowed out. The only thing Shikikan could listen to without the frequency being terrible and the music scrambled.

The jeep lurched forward down the pathway towards the main road. Unlike the main nations, traffic was nonexistent. This allowed the base to maintain a steady flow without any hiccups besides the occasional defense. For a short as a drive as it was, the commander had no problem with just listening to the music and feeling the wind blow at him. Rides like this were what a man like him needed.

But as soon as it began, it ended with Shikikan parking the jeep on the side of the road. He could already see the umbrellas and figures of many of the shipgirls. A volleyball net set up with rudimentary borders made for the various girls to compete with each other. Naturally, a good amount of the girls were playing around in the water.

The car shut off as Shikikan got out to retrieve his goods and making his way to the hot sands of the beach. His simple sandals gave him some form of protection initially but he did feel some grains make their way to his skin. Once he felt he had found a good spot to relax, he stabbed his umbrella into the sand as a form of victory. Then he set up his umbrella so he wouldn't feel the heated grains below him and laid down.

He took a glance at the volleyball match going between some of the Union ships against their Ironblood counterparts. It looked to be mostly the destroyers and submarines enjoying themselves with the light cruisers crowding around them. Well, it looked pleasant until someone decided to up the ante a bit too much.

When one of the Union destroyers pushed the ball up to serve it to the spiker, a Union heavy cruiser came out of the crowd, jumped, and spiked it into one of the u-boats. This heavy cruiser was recognized for her trademark jacket that barely passed her chest and her really skimpy attire. That and her short haircut identified her as Baltimore, the energetic one with a strong sense of justice.

"Yeah! Score one for the Union," the heavy cruiser said with a trademark grin but everyone gave her a blank look

"You just smacked U-81 with the ball, Baltimore!"

What was a simple game of volleyball turned into a shouting match between the two factions as their larger sisters came into the fray. Shikikan sighed in annoyance before laying his head down to rest. Closing his eyes and trying to ignore the chorus of voices filling the beach.

"Commander, is it alright if I set up here?" a voice called out to him

The commander's eyes opened to find Hood in a completely different attire than what he was used to. From one of the most humble and modest ladies in the Royal Navy wearing a one piece swimsuit that revealed her true features. Shikikan felt his cheeks flash with fire as he could not believe how beautiful one of his secretaries was underneath her dress.

"O-of course, you don't need to ask," he said while fumbling a proper response to the gorgeous woman in front of him.

Hood hummed with a smile before she set down her own towel next to Shikikan. Did she purposely ask him to allow everyone to enjoy the beach so she could get out of her attire? Either that dress was made to hide her curves or she wore more clothing. Either way, the Commander was not ashamed of thinking that Hood was absolutely stunning.

"I got to say, Hood, you look quite nice when you aren't looking so proper," Shikikan began before he felt himself say something stupid, "N-not saying that you look bad being proper b-but.."

This got a giggle from the battlecruiser laying nearby, "Thank you, Commander. I don't normally go out to events like these because her Highness needs my advice on important matters."

"Such as?" the Commander's brow raised quizzically

"Our current role with Azur Lane, the war, gossip about the Ironblood, and sometimes she rants about how flat-chested she is," Hood answered while looking at the Commander

Shikikan got himself up into a sitting position before speaking, "Is she jealous about everyone else having...erm…"

"I think the term you are looking for is 'larger assets' to be polite," the battlecruiser added

"Yeah, that." Shikikan rubbed the back of his head while blushing a bit, "Is that why you wear that dress of yours?"

Hood took a moment to look out towards the ocean, past the crowd of arguing ships, and off towards the white clouds themselves. Her entrancing blue eyes searched the heavens for an exact answer to the Commander's question.

"Partially yes, but mostly no. The proper reason is I prefer to be unnoticed. Compared to the other girls around here, I can easily be cast aside besides my status among the Royal Navy," Hood finally spoke while turning to the Commander, "I prefer the peace and quiet while it lasts."

Shikikan couldn't help but nod along with that reasoning. When the Sirens were in full force, no one could have a moment to rest before being sent off to take down a fleet. The only rest was in between sorties and resupplying. That had to take a toll on many of the girls here.

"Would you do me a favor and apply some sunscreen to my back, Commander~?" Hood requested with a difference in her tone that made Shikikan's heart freeze for a moment

The way she asked that must have hit a spot vulnerable enough to cause the Commander's face to light up like a traffic light. That and the fact she asked him to basically rub her exposed back with sunscreen easily could be misinterpreted. What kind of god did he please, or piss off, to earn this sort of consequence? Surely, there was some form of mercy to save him from this embarrassing request.

"U-Um...S-Sure. Just your back?" Shikikan asked in a nervous tone that Hood could read with ease

Any girl could probably read how nervous he was to oblige this request, "Yes, just my back."

To further emphasize her point, Hood laid on her stomach and presented her exposed back to her superior officer. She held out her small bottle of sunscreen to him while she awaited for his task to be done with eyes closed.

Shikikan felt himself shake as his mind was scrambling for an excuse to run away without upsetting the battlecruiser. Sure, he was married, but that was a formality rather than the actual marriage. Something about protocols restricting the shipgirls from participating in 'indescreate methods' that would possibly put them unable to fight. Not even Eugen, for the tease she was, dared to break the protocols.

Taking a deep breath, the Commander steeled his nerves. He twisted off the cap before pouring out a small amount of sunscreen on his hands. He rubbed them together a couple of times so he could evenly spread the lotion over their target. Slowly, he put his hands on Hood's pale backside and performed the task.

Hood flinched a bit due to the lotion being cold in touch, but she relaxed quickly. Her eyes were still closed as she hummed to the feeling of her officer's hands caressing her back, "Commander, I think you should know by now that all the fleets came together and forged a compromise to ease the tensions."

Shikikan temporarily stopped his current action and looked at Hood with a puzzled expression, "A compromise? What would that be? Did you all decide to split the spoils of war?"

Hood giggled at such a notion that no doubt would cause more trouble, "Oh no, Commander. I'm surprised Eugen didn't tell you this after you two had married."

Again, Shikikan was more puzzled by what Hood was baiting him into, "What is it? Eugen never mentioned anything to me besides what she would like to do if there weren't protocols."

"Ah, you don't know," Hood mused, rising to where she was sitting and looking at her superior officer in the eye, "The fleets have agreed that at least one ship from every faction shall be married to you as a form of an unending alliance."

"_...What?" _

Shikikan's face looked like a child who had just been told about puberty and what that would mean to all his friends who were girls. Thankfully his sunglasses hid the bug-eyed look he had while facing Hood. Every faction was going to have at least 'one' girl trying to marry him. Keywords were 'at least' which opened the doors for more. Who were the lunatics that thought this was a good idea?

Worst of all, Eugen knew about this but didn't tell him?! He could've asked Hood on a date at least a year ago if he had learned of this. Wait… Wouldn't that mean the other girls were now basically going to compete for his affections on a daily basis?

Hood perked up as something came to her mind, "Oh, and the secretary role is officially an honorary position for any girl wanting to marry you. Basically, it's going to be fiercely competed for."

"_You have to be fucking kidding me?!" _were the thoughts of the stunned officer

Did Hood forget what kind of hell this would create for the Commander? The Ironbloods alone were quite a handful to handle but there were various members of the Sakura Empire that would murder for secretary. His thoughts then went to Shoukaku the other day and his face lit up even brighter. Did he unintentionally make the Crane Sister part of an officially recognized harem?! What kind of sick joke was this?!

"H-Hood...D-Does t-that m-mean…" Shikikan tried to ask before a finger was pressed against his lips to silence them

Before he realized it, he found Hood face to face with him with her curtly smile that almost looked a bit smug. One moment later, her lips were pressed against his while his shocked expression still remained. Although, he couldn't lie about the fact that he really wanted to date Hood for a while but his morals prevented him.

"Shikikan and Hood-sama are kissing!" a voice called out

Hood released the Commander as he looked at who had said that, finding Javelin who was blushing and pointing at them. This got the attention of the other girls that had a mix of shock, anger, and envy.

"Oh, I was beginning to wonder if any vermin were touching my Shikikan," Akagi said with venom dripping through her tone, a ball of fire held in her hand

"My husband is cheating on me? I should have known, you rascal," Eugen quipped with that smug look on her face

Hood was unbothered by the veiled threats despite the fact it would be the Commander taking the brunt of their anger, "I'm sorry ladies, mainly my fellow Royal Navy, but I'm sure you can figure out amongst yourselves the remaining spots."

Hood's words were like a cigar being smoked inside an armory. While Eugen seemed unaffected by the news, the rest of her sisters were now squabbling amongst themselves. Worse, the maidens of the Sakura Empire were now actively fighting with blades and magic. At least the Eagle Union was trying to use 'democracy' to decide who would be the secretary. Really, it was more of just endless shouting.

"God, what kind of sin did I commit for this?" Shikikan uttered in defeat, watching helplessly as the beach turned into D-Day

* * *

**So who do you think will try to hook up with our poor Commander? Leave a comment below with your guess and find out in the next chapters.**


	3. Chapter 3

Shikikan laid sleeping in his bed with a blissful smile on his face. After a hectic day on the beach where it looked like the war restarted in an instant, the Commander was glad he was finally away from it all. At least there was some order brought back with the battleships and carriers ending the conflict before it got out of proportion. But he didn't need to worry about it because he found himself in sleep's embrace. An embrace that he looked forward to every night because sleep didn't try to murder him or force him into sexual actions.

But as much as he enjoyed sleeping, it ended too quickly. The sun rose faster than normal and forced the officer to slowly wake up. The rays causing the Commander to squint his eyes and use his blanket as a shield. Then the alarm began to sound next to his bed. He groaned in annoyance as his eyes opened.

"Five...more...minutes," Shikikan grumbled, slapping the alarm to end the disturbing rings it made

To his dismay, the door to his personal room was kicked open loudly. Instead of jumping up in shock, Shikikan just gave a grunt. Whoever had just opened his door without knocking or even letting him know that they were coming, was getting on his nerves already. He hadn't even started his day with the paperwork yet.

"Rise and shine, Commander. Your secretary is here!" said a female voice with much more energy than the other secretaries

Only one shipgirl had this energy within his secretaries. Still half-asleep, he looked up to notice a woman that was only slightly shorter than him by a couple of inches. Her blond hair tied into two ponytails with a couple of groups of strands closer to her forehead. She wore little clothing besides a black bikini, a black cape, a black and gold hat finished with black thigh high stockings. Compared to her two other sisters, she was a handful to keep up with.

"Hornet...When were you my secretary?" Shikikan questioned while burying his face into the pillow in defiance

The Yorktown-Class aircraft carrier put her hands on her hips which only exaggerated her slender body, "I asked my big sister to take the commissions I normally go on. She owes me after the last time we faced a Siren together."

The Commander didn't respond due to his desire to fall back asleep. Hornet only smiled before grabbing the blanket with a firm grip and ripping it off of the officer. Normally, Shikikan would just not have a blanket over him but there was a thing about shipgirls. They are much stronger than they look. As a result, he was thrown off his bed and onto the floor. To make it worse, Hornet even opened the windows to let the light in.

"Awake yet?"

Shikikan grumbled once more but he slowly got up with tired expression. He rubbed his eyes to slightly glare at the upbeat carrier in front of him, "I need a coffee."

* * *

Hornet and Shikikan were in the mess hall with the officer drinking a mug of coffee and eating a decent breakfast. Hornet seemed content with just a mug of coffee due to her always being up before everyone else. If you asked the Commander, he'd say Hornet should have been a destroyer with the energy she had.

"So, what's going on? While I was just enjoying the beach yesterday, everyone began arguing and fighting each other besides the submarines and most of the destroyers," Hornet questioned her officer which prompted him to take a moment to think

He thought back to yesterday's events and how it turned from a good day to the worst day he had. It wasn't all bad, considering Hood had feelings for quite some time. That and he wasn't going to be chastised for having more than one romantic partner. But with the news dropped on top of him at that very moment caused him to lose his sanity. Thankfully a good night's rest was a good way to recover.

Shikikan took one last gulp of his coffee before sighing, "A good amount of the girls here are fighting themselves for my affections. I guess when you don't have Sirens trying to kill you, I'm on their mind. Apparently there was some agreement between the factions that at least one of them would marry me."

The Yorktown-Class carrier giggled, "Looks like you made another war. So much for having some peace."

"You don't have to remind me," the Commander muttered with his head downcast

"So," Hornet began as she finished her coffee, "Who are the lucky ladies so far?"

Despite the bad situation Shikikan was in, he found himself having a small smile thinking on the girls that he was in love with, "So far, Eugen is the only one I technically married. Hood kissed me yesterday so I'm safe to assume she'll want to get married soon."

"Wow, so two spots are filled already? You work fast," Hornet grinned before waving off a glare the Commander shot her way, "No one else is in your sights?"

Shikikan finished his breakfast and wiped his mouth clean with a napkin, "Do you know anything about how the Sakura Empire sees relationships?"

Hornet blinked a bit before raising a brow, "No, why are you asking me?"

"Let's just say I'm a bit worried for Shoukaku,"

* * *

On the other side of the island was the dormitory area for the Sakura ships. When the Commander had defeated them and made them a part of his fleet, they got a part of the island to themselves. Not surprisingly, this part of the island had many Sakura based architecture and many shrines. While the trees were not anything from their homeland, they brought some of their own to make into a garden.

But the scene was within one of the structures where many of the high ranking Sakura girls were seated around a long rectangular table. Unlike the other girls, the Sakura ships kneeled with cushions underneath them instead of sitting on their rears.

One of the shipgirls, positioned at one end of the table, rose up elegantly. She wore a simple dark uniform that was pretty modest compared to most of her associates. She wasn't an overly curvy woman but she was beautiful despite the horns on her head, "It is time to decide who will marry our courteous Shikikan. Any recommendations?"

Not surprisingly, Akagi rose calmly with her slightly sadistic smile, "If I may, I would recommend myself since I was the first of the Sakura carriers to join the Commander's side. Only I know of his l-"

"As expected, Akagi. Any others?" Mikasa looked around at the various Sakura ships kneeled at the table, "Who was the last secretary from our faction?"

All eyes went towards Shoukaku, the protective crane sister having her eyes closed. One set of eyes was filled with fire and she knew it. Zuikaku looked at her older sister with a concerned expression. Sure, they were the first actual aircraft carriers compared to the others, but Akagi's fury knew no bounds.

"It was I," Shoukaku finally spoke, "But I would suggest something better, if I may."

Mikasa gave a nod as Shoukaku stood up, "Even as his secretary, I will not impose myself on Shikikan. It is better that he decide which one of us he chooses."

Akagi's glare lightened up, satisfied that her potential rival was playing smart, "Well said."

Mikasa put a hand under her chin in some thought. A small smile creased her lips which earned looks from the other Sakura, "Technically, the agreement was at least one of us would join the Commander's side. It never restricted that more than o-"

She froze when she noticed some empty seats among the table. Oh no, she opened the gates of hell on the Commander now.

* * *

Shikikan and Hornet were walking around the island just to talk and enjoy the weather while it lasted. For some reason, the officer felt a chill ran up his spine as if something bad was about to happen. Hornet rose a brow but decided not to press the issue. The Commander had too many things on his mind anyway.

"Hey Commander, just a quick question, what do you think of my sisters?" Hornet asked out of curiosity, "Don't stress over it, I won't tell a soul."

"Well, Enterprise has always been the saving grace of many operations. I have an admiration for her but I wouldn't consider myself wanting to date her." Shikikan answered partially while running his hand through his hair to think, "Yorktown, I haven't really talked to her since she was reconstructed. As far as I'm concerned, I'm glad all three of you are together."

Hornet smiled brightly at the statement, "Yeah, me too. Family stays together. Speaking of which, you have any siblings?"

They passed by a field while the Commander grimaced at the question. His tone went low, almost to a whisper, "Used to."

Hornet frowned in response, feeling a bit guilty for asking the question and how she had her sisters while the Commander did not. Was it the Siren war or a fallout within his family? Nobody really knew much about Shikikan's direct family other than he had parents.

"Sorry for asking," the carrier murmured

"No, it's fine. Can't dwell on the past," Shikikan assured, his tone coming back to normal, "I was the middle child. Older brother was a marine and the youngest was a paratrooper."

A brief silence followed while the duo continued walking down a dirt path. It led to a lightly wooded area with birds chirping endlessly in harmony. No main guns firing to drown them out or sand being blown into the air by shelling. The Commander preferred it this way, nature left on its own without man's warfare to desecrate it.

"I want to thank you," Hornet suddenly spoke after their silence was too much for her to stand, "Enterprise wouldn't have been so happy if you hadn't brought me and Yorktown back."

Shikikan looked down at the carrier with a small smile tracing his lips, "Family sticks together."

Hornet gave a nod before a bright idea came to her head, "Oh, I want to show you something, Commander."

"That is?" he questioned back

"The Royal Navy is hosting another party to celebrate your leadership and stuff next week. I think they're being too nice about it but they invited everyone to join. So...I just…" Hornet explained before she mumbled the last part with a nervous look

"You what?" The Commander asked, wanting the details

"I'll show you," Hornet tilted her hat down while grabbing Shikikan's hand and pulling him towards the Eagle Union dormitory

* * *

Shikikan was waiting outside of Hornet's personal room while looking at the clock ticking down time slowly. Hornet insisted he wait for her to call him inside while she got looked for a particular item. What item was she looking for? He had no clue. He leaned against the wall next to the door while occasionally looking down the hallway.

"You can come in now," he heard a voice from the other side of the wooden door

He pushed himself off the wall and opened the door to find Hornet in a surprisingly different appearance. Her cape was replaced with a dress that covered more of her body than her usual attire. She ditched her hat and had a couple of noticeable ties to her hair. The dress itself looked like it just fit over her usual attire and made her at least look proper.

"What do you think?" Hornet asked while doing a little spin so the officer could see all of it

"I gotta say, I never envisioned you to wear a dress," Shikikan commented which made the carrier smile her trademark grin, "You look good."

"Ah, you're being too nice like those Royal Navy girls. Thanks anyway," Hornet replied back before waving the Commander to leave her room so she could dress back to normal

As the officer left her personal quarters, Hornet couldn't help but smile like a child. She had waited for almost a year for Akashi to make her something like this. She didn't participate in the last party due to not having a dress. As much as she would have gone in her normal clothes, she'd rather not upset Shikikan. Now, she had something legitimate to attend this year's party.

Her happy thoughts were interrupted when she heard some voices on the other side of the wall. A couple of female voices and one male. No doubt Shikikan was talking to a couple of shipgirls but she swore she knew these ones.

Opening the door to her room, she was greeted with the Commander talking to Akagi and Shoukaku. Well, more like keeping the two from letting their planes bombard each other.

"Know your place, Shoukaku. I am clearly entitled for Shikikan's first wife," the fiery kitsune stated

The officer quipped, "Technically Eugen was first."

Sadly his words fell on deaf ears while the Crane Maiden retorted, "That is up for Shikikan to decide. If it was decided on who was the closest, then I should be the one."

Hornet walked over to the Commander with a blank expression on her face as the two aircraft carriers were verbally threatening each other. There was always a bit of bad blood between the different divisions and it didn't help the Commander was the center of it.

"Hey Commander, want to grab a cola while these two duke it out?" the Yorktown-class carrier questioned

Shikikan gave a nod as the duo began to walk away. Leaving the Sakura carriers bantering back and forth.

* * *

The sky had darkened and the sun had fallen by the time Shikikan and Hornet got to work on today's paperwork. At least it was a lighter load compared to previous days but it still was quite a bit. At least the quarreling Sakura carriers weren't around to distract them while they worked tirelessly on the mountain. A pot of coffee was on the desk with a mug already full for the Commander.

He probably had at least three, possibly four, full cups at this point. His hand ached with the constant signing of paper that felt so irrelevant. Why did this always have to be filled out? Azur Lane Command seriously needed to hire a working staff for all this instead of passing it along to the admirals. Well, more like the only admiral still available.

Hornet yawned while stretching her arms out, her eyes wanting to close so badly, "What time is it?"

A quick glance at the clock on the far side of the office showed that it was close to midnight. Definitely a time they should have hit the bed already instead of working on paper. The Commander took a sip of his coffee and looked at the remnants of paper left on his desk.

"We're practically done, just a few more," Shikikan sighed, massaging his hand to reduce the aching he felt

Hornet got up from the secretary's desk and walked over to see the last pieces of paper. Mostly it was reports from patrols, commissions, or if an accident occurred on base. Occasionally, there would be a packet of pages requesting a structure being built or retrofits being authorized.

Hornet's eyes lit up despite how tired she was, grabbing a sheet of paper that held paragraphs full of paper, "Hey, it looks like Balti is racking up the kill count. She just might beat my record."

The Commander looked at the carrier next to him in confusion, "Why do you even have a record of how many hostiles you took out?"

"Bragging rights," The youngest of the three Yorktown sisters answered with a cheeky grin, "Don't tell Balti that I told you, but I think she's interested if you want to date her."

Shikikan gave her a blank look in response to such a suggestion, "I have my hands full already if you didn't notice yesterday. I am not saying I wouldn't date her."

"So you do want to?" her grin only grew wider while Shikikan was getting slightly annoyed

"If she were to ask me out, then yes. I am perfectly fine with giving anyone a chance if they ask me first. I do have exceptions though," he replied back to stop Hornet from teasing him further

"I'll give her the hint that you might be interested then. Don't be surprised if she asks you. Balti isn't as shy as the other heavy cruisers nor is she trying to reject her feelings like Takao does."

Shikikan sighed in defeat as he really didn't want another Sakura ship in their civil war, "Please tell me you're pulling my leg."

"I could if I really wanted to but I might dislocate it or possibly break it," the carrier replied back, her grin still plastered on her face

"Smart ass,"

Hornet gave another yawn before she placed her head on the Commander's shoulder. He didn't say anything as he felt her body weight press on his side, but thank goodness she didn't weigh more than she looked. She may have more strength than she looked but she wasn't heavier.

Shikikan got back to finishing the last of the paperwork that took him another twenty minutes. By that point, he felt Hornet's body rise and fall softly with her breathing. Taking a look, the Yorktown-Class carrier was asleep although in an uncomfortable position. He really didn't keep any of his secretaries this long nor did he force them to stay for the night besides a couple of occasions.

It was too late to wake Hornet up and send her back to the Eagle Union dormitory. So, like a responsible commander that he was, Shikikan did the next best thing. He carefully put his arms underneath her body and lifted her bridal style. He walked her over to his bed and laid her down carefully. He made sure the blankets covered her before he yawned himself.

Knowing that sleeping in his currently occupied bed would not only cause the love war to go insane, but also make Hornet uncomfortable once she woke up. He sat back down on his chair and rested his legs on top of his desk. Not the most comfortable spot, but he's dealt with much worse.

When he was about to close his eyes and fall asleep, he noticed something outside his window. He took a closer look but it disappeared before he got a good look at it. His tired mind let it go and he went back to getting some sleep.

Tomorrow he was going to have someone from the Ironblood becoming his secretary. He knew Eugen wasn't going to be there due to her role of leading some of the most difficult sorties. As much as he wanted to think on who would be here tomorrow, his eyes closed and his mind fluttered off.

With his mind in the dreamworld, all his thoughts that he normally restricted were now unleashed. His mind replayed the events of sleeping with Shoukaku two days ago, Hood's beautiful body, and Akagi's obsessive love. Lord have mercy on him if Akagi ever went through with her threats when she found him with another shipgirl. That kitsune would probably bomb the entire island just to keep him to herself.

Oh well, at least he couldn't complain about picking up girls.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's note: I will ask you all if you want to see chapters with weddings along with more comedic scenes. I am taking more inspiration from the manga after I binge-read it all to find myself laughing. Enjoy the chapter**

Shikikan awoke with a sharp pain in his neck. His sleeping position was not suited for his neck which made it all the more painful. Note to self, don't sleep on a chair unless you want a sore neck. Rubbing the sore muscle, he looked around the room to find it mostly neat and tidy. Either Belfast came in before he awoke or Hornet tidied up the place before she left.

Looking at the clock, he found it to be around nine o'clock. The pretty standard time for him to wake up when he wasn't awoken by his secretaries. They seemed to be awake for at least an hour or two before he even got close to. He needed the rest after so many restless nights dealing with Sirens or brainwashed shipgirls.

Rolling his head around to stretch out the sore muscle, he got up from his chair and made his way out of the office. He might as well get some breakfast before his secretary got here. He never gave them an exact time to be here. So long as they arrived around the time they were assigned, they could come early or late.

"Herr Kommandant!" a voice rang in his ears as he was about to leave the building

The Commander turned around to look down at a girl that was probably four inches or more smaller than him. Although not as short as the other Destroyers, probably one of the tallest, she was still shorter than him. She wore a white navy uniform that barely passed her rear paired with leggings that reached all the way to her thighs. She had recently undergone a retrofit which she wore a blue cape with a red interior. An iron cross fitted on a band held a group of her blonde short hair on her right side. Lastly, she wore dark gloves along with additional material that covered her arms just before her shoulders.

It was his first ship that willingly joined his side years ago, "It's been a while, Z23."

The Ironblood destroyer smiled before suddenly giving the much taller Commander a hug, "Endless sorties and patrols for Sirens have kept me away."

Shikikan embraced Z23 in return but not noticing she was blushing quite brightly. After a short moment of hugging each other tightly, the Commander let the Ironblood Destroyer go. They proceeded to walk to the mess hall to get some breakfast before they got a crack at the paperwork.

While at the mess hall, Z23 looked at Shikikan with an expectant look on her face, "Erm, is something wrong?"

Z23 shook her head before she cleared her throat, "Kommandant, I was speaking to my fellow Destroyers the other day and we wanted to see if you could join us in a session of King's Game."

Shikikan rose a brow at the mention of a game he heard of but never played, "King's Game? What is that? Sounds like some sort of game the Royal Navy would play."

Z23 shook her head, "Actually no, it's actually a game I learned from Ayanami. The rules are simple but can be quite hilarious. You put any number of chopsticks corresponding to the number of players and one of them is marked as king. Whoever gets that chopstick is the king for the round and basically gives a random dare to random numbers of their choosing. The players with the numbers must obey the dares and it continues on until everyone quits."

"That's it?" the Commander looked quite interested, "Sounds like fun. I'm assuming it will just be you, me, Javelin, Laffey, and Ayanami."

The Ironblood Destroyer nodded, "Yep, just us. At least, that's the plan. We considered adding a few more players."

"Just a few more? So long as they aren't Akagi, I'm good. I really don't want today to be filled with sexual matters." the officer stated firmly

This got the blond girl to get curious as to why her Commander was so reluctant to even engage in biological matters, "Kommandant, may I ask why you don't ever indulge yourself? You're married to Eugen but neither of you has participated in what couples normally do for procr-"

Shikikan covered her mouth as a scarlet blush appeared on his face, "Let's just say I would rather not make any mistakes. We have a war to finish."

Z23 nodded slowly before the two of them sat in silence for the rest of their breakfast.

* * *

It was afternoon by the time the duo headed over to the Eagle Union dormitory. Unlike the other factions, the Eagle Union had surprisingly more space and less restricted rules which made the starter squad hang out around this area. Z23 led the Commander to a specific part of the dormitory where mostly the Destroyers settled. Opening a specific door, the Commander was greeted with something surprising.

The first shipgirls in his sight were Laffey and Javelin, not surprisingly. However, he soon found Ayanami sitting with Takao while Tirpitz sat in the corner. Even Z23 looked a bit confused with the Battleship and Heavy Cruiser being here. Their attention turned towards Shikikan in an instant, Tirpitz having a faint smile on her lips at his sight while Takao held her composure.

"It's good to have you here, Shikikan," Takao said calmly, internally struggling to keep her facade of discipline together

"Is this what you meant by more players?" the Commander said out loud, looking to the Destroyers for an answer

Laffey was drinking a fresh bottle of cola with her sleepy look on her face, the usual look she had, "Laffey did not invite them, they asked if they could play."

Javelin looked excited to get the game started, having set up a table that everyone could sit around. There was already a cup with sticks ready to go. The officer couldn't see which one had the title labeled on it so this was going to get interesting.

"Are we waiting for more players or are we going to start?" Shikikan had to ask, hoping that no more shipgirls would arrive to make this experience embarrassing

If it was him and the Destroyer squad, he would be perfectly fine. They didn't show any signs of interest for him even though they all served under him for some time. The only one who had any interest in him would have been Z23 but she never outwardly displayed any forms of affection. As his thoughts lingered to the possibilities, the door was opened to reveal particular Union tomboy and nonchalant looking maid.

"Are we late?" the Union shipgirl asked while the maid looked uninterested

"No, we were just about to get started," Ayanami answered, double-checking the number of sticks there were to accurately display all the players

Nine of them and nine sticks. One of them was labeled to be king. That meant after every draw, eight of them would be subjected to some hilarious and embarrassing orders. The atmosphere began to get tense, not in competition, but in wariness to each stick. Javelin gave a nod as everyone put their hands on one stick, drawing it out at the same time.

The Commander looked at his stick to find the number three labeled on it, not making him the king. Now it made him wonder who was.

"Looks like I'm king," Sheffield said in a bland tone, a complete contrast to the rest of the maids, "Nine must be three's servant for the rest of the game."

There was silence, who was number nine? The Commander knew this game had to be rigged since it was too coincidental that his number has been called out right away. Either that or Sheffield saw his number to purposely make fun of him. That maid always made the Commander wonder if she hated him or just treated him like that on purpose. Then, he saw Takao begin to shake in her place, causing the other girls to realize what her number must have been.

"Takao? You alright there?" Shikikan asked, noticing how despite her discipline, her face was scarlet and her lips quivered

"O-of course….M-master," the Sakura Heavy Cruiser looked at him with her dark blush

Before the Commander could question her further, his concern would be met with his head planted on her lap. A light blush fell on his face but at least Takao wasn't shaking anymore. If it wasn't obvious, the officer began to put the pieces together. Tirpitz's light smile faded in an instant with her cold eyes piercing the Commander's soul.

"_I made a mistake in joining this game haven't I?" _he thought to himself while feeling the air around him get cold

All the sticks were put back in the cup and mixed around so it wasn't obvious where the king stick was. Everyone took another stick and pulled them out to get their new numbers. The Commander noticed his number was now a two and due to being on Takao's lap, he thought he saw a four on hers.

"Yes! I'm king!" Javelin exclaimed while thinking on her order, "Number seven must tell us an embarrassing secret."

The cold atmosphere went away as Tirpitz was blushing quite noticeably. She looked down to hide from the rest of the group who were expecting something really funny. However, the Bismarck-Class battleship simply took her left gloved hand and began to remove it. The rest of the players were confused about why Tirpitz was not speaking until her white glove came off.

On her ring finger was a simple ring with inscriptions on it which caused the entire room to erupt in blushes and surprised looks, "N-Nani?!"

"_When the hell did I give Tirpitz a promise ring like tha-?" _The Commander's face was extremely embarrassed before he began to think

* * *

_Shikikan was sitting at the Ironblood bar with a large mug of beer in his hand. His face had a blush on it and he felt himself become buzzed after he had at least two or three full mugs. While the Eagle Union had great hard liquor, and the Royal Navy having great wine, the Ironbloods knew how to brew an excellent beer. _

_Tirpitz was sitting next to him with a heavy blush on her face and several empty mugs to her right. They had just sortied together against some Sirens and their hard-fought victory deserved some celebration. The rest of his fleet were indulging themselves in beer off to the side and heavy in conversation. It was just the officer and his flagship to sit at the bar itself._

"_Mmm...Kommandant...have you decided what you will do after the war?" The battleship asked him with a slur in her voice and her look giving off a drunk love_

_Shikikan took a few gulps of his current mug of beer before turning towards his flagship with half-lidded eyes, a sign that he clearly wasn't in the right mindset, "Hm? Oh...I don't know. Go home, find a lovely girl and get married like most guys."_

"_Children too?" Tirpitz asked with her head resting against her arms that were resting on the counter_

_The officer chuckled as he drank more, his drunkenness increasing as the alcohol was being administered to his systems, "Yeah, if it comes to that. Who knows what they would look like."_

_He reached into his white slacks and put a small box on the counter between them. Tirpitz, even in her drunken state, was curious enough to open it and find a simple ring with inscriptions on it. She didn't even bother asking the drunk Commander if he was promising her. Instead, she took the ring and put it on her ring finger._

"_Looks good on you. You can...keep it," Shikikan said, his voice stopping for a moment when he felt himself about to vomit_

_The Ironblood battleship looked at him with a smile, "Hm...Does this mean...a promise?"_

"_Yeah, sure...hic...we can be married at this point. No more Lonely Queen of the North,"_

* * *

Back to the present time, Tirptiz had a loving smile as she looked at the Commander. However, he looked like he was in shell shock when he heard the tale of how she acquired a ring from him. Although it was nowhere near as ornate as Eugen's, a promise ring was a promise ring. But, that would mean that he was now married to two Ironblood shipgirls which meant….

Takao's hands, which had been massaging Shikikan's head, suddenly clamped around him. The officer didn't need to ask what she was doing as he could feel her aura intensify around him. Akagi had a limitless fury but Takao had kept her fury from rising so much that when it did release, it put Akagi to shame. The other shipgirls all had a mix of happiness, utter horror, and uncaring, especially Sheffield, Ayanami, and Laffey.

"Shikikan is going to die," Laffey said in her tired voice, drinking her cola as usual

Indeed he felt like he was going to die, slowly turning his eyes upwards to see Takao's amber eyes staring at him. Her hands were on her sword which was dangerously about to be drawn to slash him in an instant.

"Master...You saved a ring for me yes?" her tone was delicate enough to seem innocent but Shikikan knew better of the sharp edge hidden underneath

He couldn't respond as fear overtook his senses. He looked around the room for any form of help but the other girls were asking Tirpitz about what kind of wedding she would want. Even Cleveland, who was a tomboy, seemed eager to know. That didn't help when the Commander's eyes landed on Z23 to find her with a heavy blush and an angry look.

"_Why does she have that look?!" _his mind panicked as he saw her summon her rigging

Her retrofit armed her with an even larger arm cannon that looked like some sort of dragon with a gun barrel in its mouth. More torpedos appeared around her as she gave him a look that meant death.

"Kommandant...I come back after almost a hundred sorties…and this is what I learn?!" she pointed her arm cannon at him as a red aura engulfed her

Yep, that was her Destruction Mode. Her retrofit made her more uncontrollable once she got angry. This made her a valuable asset on the battlefield but also a bane to the Commander outside of it. Usually, she was calm and composed but now she was far from that. Without giving the Ironblood Destroyer or Takao a chance to murder him on the spot, he booked it out of the room.

A couple of moments passed for the scene to settle before both girls rushed out of the room in hot pursuit of the officer. Other Eagle Union shipgirls watched as Shikikan ran for dear life out of their dormitory only to see Z23 and Takao run after him. One of the Union girls was Hornet, the aircraft carrier giggling before she sighed.

"Commander, you really work fast," she commented before looking outside to watch the chase ensued.

* * *

The Commander was working on paperwork with several bandages adorning his body. Parts of his uniform were ripped or covered in gunpowder while he had bandages over some cuts on his face and hands. His whole body was hurting but he honestly deserved it after the mess he caused, well, more like what Tirpitz caused. He really wanted to cry right now about how stupid he was in the past. Not just for causing this unnecessary drama, but also for the lack of gems he had now after the shipgirls caught him.

Outside of his office, Z23 and Takao were working together on paperwork as well. However, it wasn't the usual paperwork that the secretaries were assigned. Instead, it was paperwork to approve the renting of the Performing Arts area. Multiple events were carried out by the shipgirls to give them some form of cohesion when not fighting off enemy fleets. Such things as singing competitions, fashion shows, and weddings.

Speaking of weddings, two nicely constructed promise rings adorned the shipgirls ring fingers. Z23's having a blue gemstone in it while Takao's had an amber one. After chasing the Commander down all day, they caught up to him and punished him for his crime. After the anger subsided, they forced him to use his gem reserves to buy them a promise ring for the emotional pain he gave them. He didn't protest against them once they had their weapons trained on him.

"Herr Kommandant, do you know the Royal Navy is hosting a ball within the next few days," the, now happy, Ironblood destroyer asked

Shikikan nodded, "Yeah, Hornet told me all about it."

Takao turned towards him with an inquisitive brow, "Will you be attending? All of us have received invitations but I don't find anything for you."

The Commander looked up from his paperwork, his tired and pained look plastered evidently, "I really can't say no can I?"

Neither of the two shipgirls answered since the answer was obvious. The officer sighed again since he was going to have to not only get himself a new suit but now he might have to pay Akashi another visit. The girls were mostly self-sufficient but he wouldn't be surprised if he had to help pay for their dresses. As much as he really didn't want to, he had a bad feeling he was going to.

"_How could this get any worse?" _he wondered

**So leave a comment and stay tuned to what will happen to our poor Shikikan. **


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's note: To answer the question about what manga this story has inspiration from, it's the Azur Lane Comic Anthology. Specifically, it's the more comedic variant than some of the serious comics out there. With that out of the way, on with the next chapter. You're welcome**

Shikikan grunted as his muscles were strained while pushing up a heavy object. The object being a rod with iron weights on either side. Next to him was a tall woman wearing a formal military outfit that hugged her body tightly. She had black leggings that reached up to her thighs before showing a bit of her light skin. Her grey uniform followed and covered most of her upper body including her arms. The top of her breasts was covered up with some sort of black undergarment that was semi-translucent. She had black gloves that extended to her forearm before her garments were finished with a grey naval hat.

She was gray haired, the Commander is not biased against everyone else, but nowhere old looking. She looked most likely in her mid to late twenties with her orangish red eyes looking down at Shikikan with a calculated look. In her hand was a pocket watch that was ticking constantly.

"You're getting a little slow, Commander," she said quite firmly, her voice sounding of a person who had gone through a whole war and was bitter about it

"Give me a break, Cesare. If I had more time to myself and not getting chased after by the other factions, I would be here," Shikikan sighed as he set the bar safely on two hinges to hold it while he relaxed his tired muscles

"Speaking of which, where are they?" he looked around to see if anyone had even tried to search for him but not a single shipgirl was around besides the Sardegna Battleship

The Battleship seemed nonchalant as she closed her pocket watch and placed it in a pocket near her hip, "Who?"

"The other shipgirls, shouldn't there be at least a few here. I would expect some Eagle Union ships here,"

Truth be told, they were in the fitness room that all the factions shared. The Eagle Union were the most common to see in this facility but only outmatched to Giulio Cesare. She ran this room by herself and made sure this place was not only clean, but everything was put in the right spot. If someone broke something, they were going to have to pay for it.

"I gave them the day off. You need to exercise more than them, especially when you aren't the one being shot at," Cesare finally answered firmly, not taking any objections

Out of all the Italian ships, which weren't that many, the Commander found that Cesare was one of the sternest individuals of the group. The only one who was more stern was her superior but Cesare generally looked unhappy. Who could blame her? She felt bitterness against the Royal Navy when she fired the first shot and missed Warspite. That had to make such a proud ship like her very angry.

Her anger was tempered though, used the situations to benefit her and not become a deterrent. She used that humiliation of her first battle to train herself endlessly where she became almost as threatening as Warspite. Not in firepower, but in accuracy. At the same time, she often reeled in the other girls like Trento and Zara. The former being a complete klutz and the latter being too flirty with Shikikan.

Then there was Littorio, a complete narcissist to the point of blaming others for her failings. Every victory she gloated about and every defeat she pointed the finger at someone else. With Cesare around, and also the Commander, Littorio kept her mouth shut. But that was only a general aspect of them, they were much more complex than that.

Cesare's small frown was alleviated when she reached into a pocket on the opposite hip and procured two tickets, "Since we are done, for the time being, I would like you to accompany me for an opera tonight."

Shikikan raised a brow at the suggestion while taking one of the tickets to inspect it, "An opera on the base? Forgive me for asking, but are you and the other girls able to put one on?"

Cesare finally let a light smile crest on her face before she put a hand on her officer's cheek, "No, not here. I know a place off of the base that we can go to. It will be a trip but it's well worth the experience."

"So long as we get back in time to finish the paperwork and not have the other girls tear the base to shreds looking for me," Shikikan sighed before drinking from a bottle of water he had brought

Her gaze then hardened again as her hand transferred to Shikikan's shoulder, "Commander, may I speak bluntly to you?"

"Go ahead."

"You let the others walk over you too easily. The only thing keeping them from taking over is the fact you're a respectable leader and the only human not equipped with rigging," the Battleship started which made the Commander flinch with how bluntly truthful it was, "You need to have more _fiducia."_

"_Fiducia_?" the officer questioned with no clue what that meant

Cesare looked her officer in the eye that bore into his soul, "Confidence. If you don't stand your ground now, every girl here will force you into a marriage you didn't want."

Shikikan went silent as his thoughts played with her words. Eugen and Tirpitz to an extent were the only ones that he genuinely felt he willingly participated in a relationship. That wasn't to say the other girls weren't held dear to his heart, but everything seemed to be flying so fast. Yes, he's sortied with all of them countless times, but did that mean he shouldn't take his time to learn their complexities first before marrying them. Compared to a regular female, marriage with a shipgirl was nowhere like what was expectant of two people.

Although there were a ceremony and wedding rings, the girls themselves never stopped being who they were. In fact, they got better at their combative skills which raised some questions. Were the rings themselves enhancing them like better equipment or did they trust Shikikan with some risky strategies that paid off?

"So what you're saying is that I need to take control of my situation?" he finally asked the Battleship in front of him

Cesare gave a firm nod and a slight smile, "Exactly. I'm not saying to get cruel, but you need to step your foot down. It's plainly obvious you're stressed. Take it one step at a time and let us help you with the workload."

The Commander felt a weight fall off his shoulders as his mind began to immediately find solutions to that dreaded paperwork. Possibly get another secretary and have them handle more of work so he could focus on important matters. Less time on that paperwork means more time with himself and the girls. A win-win scenario.

* * *

Shikikan looked at himself in a mirror located within the restroom of his office. Since his previous uniform had been damaged thanks to a couple of angry shipgirls, he had to request a new one while wearing something to compensate. He found himself wearing a cream-colored shirt with a dark brown tie. His slacks were blue with a red stripe running down the sides and the nametag planted firmly on the chest.

Thankfully it was the last name only. The last name he shared with his two brothers that have passed on to whatever afterlife. This wasn't even his uniform, but his older brother before the Siren War took his life.

A knock on his office door took his attention away from the mirror. He walked over to open it only to find one of the most renown shipgirls to ever have fought in the Siren War. She dressed like she was an admiral of her fleet although the jacket she wore was eerily similar to Hornet's. She wore a collared white shirt paired with a black tie that spoke her reputation. Her long pale hair and violet eyes were mesmerizing for the uninitiated.

"You sure you don't need a fighter escort in case you run into any Sirens out there?" she informally spoke to Shikikan, not even referring his rank

The Commander shook his head while grabbing a dark blue jacket from a hanger to put on, "I'll be fine. Cesare is capable enough to not get us both killed. I'll signal for you or any nearby vessel if something goes wrong on the trip there."

He emphasized his point by grabbing a flare gun on the counter and putting it in his inside pocket in case of any emergency. This did not make the woman content with his reasoning. He couldn't blame her though. She had lost her two sister ships during the war and it was a miracle that Shikikan had brought them back with his Wisdom Cubes. However, what were to happen if he died?

"At least have someone accompany you other than one battleship," Enterprise said, trying to get the officer to play his cards safely than take a risk

"Isn't that how you play? Risky," Shikikan replied with a coy smile before putting on his naval cap and moving towards the front entrance to leave

He was about to reach for the door before it suddenly opened and a shivering cold wind entered the building. Two figures came inside dripping wet with rain as the officer looked outside to find it storming. Being so close to the equator on this particular island base meant the occasional storm was expectant. Thankfully they didn't get the worst of it, but it still was bothersome to deal with.

The figures that came inside were the Crane Sisters Shoukaku and Zuikaku. He requested for these two to take over secretary duties since they worked better together than separate. Their clothing was drenched in the hail of water that was blowing across the base. There wouldn't be an opera with this storm keeping all the ships docked.

"Looks like I'm not going after all," the officer muttered, going to retrieve a couple of towels so the poor Sakura aircraft carriers could dry themselves out

"Thank you, Shikikan-sama. We were on our way here until it began to pour," the brunette explained before she caught sight with Enterprise, "What's the Grey Ghost doing here?"

Shikikan was busy lighting a few candles around the building as a safety measure for when the power cut out. Although they had redone the power lines several times to be sure it didn't happen, it was better to be safe than sorry.

"Commander?"

The Commander blew out a match he had on him before turning to the three aircraft carriers, "Hm? Oh, Enterprise was going to be the temporary base commander while I went out to go see an opera. With this storm, however, I will not be doing that."

There was a load of paperwork for all of them to get working on while he enjoyed some time to himself. Going back into the office, he sat back on his chair to mull over how he was going to figure this one out. With Z23 and Tirpitz now having promise rings, the other factions were now going to want some of their own to be vowed to. Takao was officially recognized although she needed a ceremony along with the previous two.

Did he like anyone on the Royal Navy and Eagle Union? Sure, Hornet mentioned that Baltimore had a thing for him but he wasn't going to tie the knot without a few dates at least. Cesare was right in the fact that he needed to slow this speeding train asap. He was only in his mid-twenties and here were so many girls trying to get married to him as their life depended on it.

Darkly, it was sort of true. What would happen to the shipgirls once the Sirens were permanently gone? Lose their rigging and live out the rest of their lives like normal people? Fight another war for their countries? The Sirens were the only reason they even banded together, but this base also allowed them to know each other. Form bonds or rivalries that would last them.

Not wanting to think on the somber thoughts, Shikikan turned to a small radio he had and tuned the frequency enough where he heard some music. It was nice and melodic that eased him of his ill thoughts on his future. He felt that this song was familiar. Something about how soothing it was made it feel familiar.

His eyes turned to a closet, a tug in his heartstrings compelling him to go to it. Unable to force this tug down, he approached the closet and looked inside. There were his clothes for different aspects of his day to day life. He had his wedding suit still there and fresh for the future ones he had to attend. Looking at the floor to a shoebox, he spotted a black cane that had aged quite a bit.

"Feels like I just put it in here," The Commander mused to himself with a smile at memories in his youth

He opened the shoebox to find a pair of black shoes that looked like any ordinary proper shoe. However, there was a piece of metal underneath the heel and sole of each shoe. He hadn't worn these in so many years since he joined the navy.

He closed the shoebox immediately once he felt like someone was about to enter his room. He closed the cabinet just as his door opened to find Zuikaku looking at him with a serious face.

"What do you need?" he asked her

Zuikaku came into the room with her arms crossed over her chest, "To settle an argument we have been having."

The Commander felt his eyes about to roll in annoyance. It didn't take a genius to figure out what Zuikaku was about to ask him. If there was an argument, it was most likely from two different sources; Enterprise or Akagi.

"What is it this time?" he questioned, going back to his seat so he could at least be in a comfortable position while he heard out the Sakura Aircraft Carrier

Zuikaku placed her hands on his desk on the opposite side while looking ready to rant, her slight blush forming on her face before she spoke, "Who is the better aircraft carrier in your fleet? Me or Grey Ghost?"

Shikikan knew he had to be careful with his words on this one question. If he sided with Enterprise, Zuikaku would immediately challenge her right then and there to prove him wrong. If he sided with Zuikaku, she would challenge Enterprise anyway to prove it. Either way, he sliced this one, there was going to be a competition. At least those two were in their prime whenever he needed them.

After some time to think about how he would word his answer, he spoke, "If I were to have just one aircraft carrier in my fleet, it would be Enterprise. If I had two, you and Shoukaku outperform her. It just depends on the situation and the needs of the fleet."

The Commander waited for the result of his answer, which surprisingly was in his favor. The serious look on Zuikaku's face fell off as she seemed content with that sort of answer. Sure, she wasn't better on a one vs one basis, but she was better when paired with her sister. That alone should speak volumes about how useful she was, or it could be easily used against her.

"Zuikaku! You have work to do!" the voice of Shoukaku yelled from outside the room

Zuikaku left the room in a hurry to not disappoint her sister. Shikikan only chuckled before he turned the radio's volume up higher so he wouldn't hear the voices of the girls. The music changed to a slow piano that reminded the Commander about the Royal Ball soon. No doubt he would be dancing with some of the ladies in the navy such as Illustrious. It wasn't unheard of to assume that the shipgirls he was engaged to and those who sought his love would be there.

He rose from his desk and made sure to lock his room door before positioning himself in the middle of his room. Not a lot of space to work with but he didn't need that much to get himself ready. Closing his eyes, he imagined his room turn into the vast ballroom the Royal Navy had. Being the only male on the base was kind of tricky since dances like the waltz required multiple partners to be beautiful. Then again, the girls wouldn't complain when they got to dance with the Commander. Having only him as a partner meant that he could realistically dance a whole musical piece with one girl.

The radio's music became an orchestra in the background as Shikikan moved slowly and elegantly in circles. Occasionally he would stop to perform a spin with his invisible partner. Unlike the dancing he experienced when he was younger, the waltz was not full of energy. Everything had to be slow and carefully done instead of the more energetic and lively dance of his teens.

His concentration broke when he looked back at the closet that held those shoes of his. Another tug of his heart to just put them on for a short time. Shikikan bit his lip and contemplated the consequences. He was the Commander, so he should do anything he wanted to so long as he didn't break protocol.

* * *

In the Royal Navy dormitories, Queen Elizabeth was looking out at the harsh rain that had pounded the base for the past couple hours. She was sipping her nightly tea before she got herself ready for bed. The winds had died down out of randomness but the rain was still pouring down. All ships were grounded and no one could go out until the storm had passed.

"Hm, if it weren't for the rain, I would have taken a stroll," Elizabeth hummed to herself before she noticed something

Someone was out and about despite the rain being poured on them. Not only that but they were making some jerky movements that indicated they weren't just walking. The Queen couldn't see who it was due to the darkness but if they just stood under a lampost.

Then they did and the Queen spit out her tea that she was sipping. This person was Shikikan and he looked to be dancing in the middle of the rain!

"Belfast, what the bloody hell is the Commander thinking?!" the petite battleship asked her head maid

The light cruiser looked over to where her Majesty was looking to be equally shocked in Shikikan in the middle of nature's tears in a good mood. He wore a full coat and his naval cap to reduce the amount of water hitting his bare skin but he still looked drenched either way.

"I...I have no idea, your Highness. I think the stress of having to marry so many girls has gotten to the Commander's head," Belfast answered with uncertainty in her tone

"He's going to have a nasty cold if he continues,"

The two continued to watch Shikikan perform his little routine out in the harsh rain. They couldn't hear his steps due to their distance and the interior blocking the sounds. It was all too amusing to see the Commander in such a state. Either he had gone mad or something particularly exciting must have happened.

* * *

Except it didn't and the officer was now laying in bed with a thermometer in his mouth and a wet towel on his forehead. His nightly dance in the rain made him a shivering mess and now he had the flu because of it. Never trust his heart if it was going to make him do some stupid things. Then again, he never felt better with all forms of his stress erased temporarily.

"You shouldn't have gone out there," he heard Enterprise chastise him

Despite his illness, he felt pretty good about himself, "No regrets."

"You're an idiot, Shikikan," he heard Shoukaku mutter

"A loveable one," he quipped right back, earning a heavy blush and pout from Shoukaku

"Is there anything you need? Soup?" Zuikaku also asked him, trying to take more responsibility due to her sister wanting her to take it more seriously around the Commander

From his lying position, the girls standing over him, and Zuikaku's short dress, he couldn't help but notice something that made him both blush and have a mischievous grin on his face, "Not if you keep flashing me like that."

The brunette's face lit up as brightly as her red dress when she heard him say that. On instinct, she covered herself up before screaming at her sick officer, "S-Shikikan you pervert!"

* * *

**A more serious and dramatic chapter with some humor sprinkled in there. I've been getting a lot of follows lately and some requests on some shipgirls. I will say that I have not gotten some of those shipgirls so I most likely will not show them off here without some prior research in their personality. **

**As usual, stay tuned for the next chapter. **


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note: Ok! We are getting somewhere with these reviews. I seem to have pleased a good amount of you people. I have good news for all of you thanks to the support I have been getting. As a gift for all the follows, favs, and reviews, I will make more explicit content but not on this site. I have made an account on Archive Of Our Own where the more mature content will be placed. **

**Now then, on to the next chapter.**

The Commander found himself once more in the gym after spending the past couple of nights sick. His little escapade by trying to relive his childhood memories of dancing in the rain left him ill. Thankfully the shipgirls did a good job in covering the paperwork and checking up on him, especially Akagi. She basically never left his side. Although, as much as it was an annoyance, he found that quite charming about the kitsune.

Now that he wasn't anchored to the bed, literally and figuratively, he was back to training his body. Cesare overlooked his workout routine like normal but she was more visibly upset. He couldn't blame her considering their date was interrupted by a storm before it could begin.

"_I got to make it up to her," _he thought to himself as he pushed the bar upwards and slowly brought it down while intaking some air

He pushed the bar upwards again while exhaling before placing the bar on the hinges. His face was pouring with sweat and his back looked like he took a dive into the ocean. Cesare closed her stopwatch with her frown faltering.

"You got more reps in a shorter amount of time despite your previous illness," she told him before leaving the area entirely

Sighing with relief, Shikikan began to wipe his forehead with a towel. His eyes then noticed that someone else was in the room. It wasn't Cesare thanks to the body shape of the other person, a body type that no doubt would land him some criticism if he spoke. This other individual wore an Ironblood dress but it was much more modest. Her blond hair was unique yet similar to Eugen's hairstyle but topped with a red cap.

"Something the matter, Hipper?" the Commander asked standing upwards and approaching the sister ship of Eugen

Without a word and also a slight scowl on her face, the Ironblood Heavy Cruiser handed over a water bottle to the officer. He took the drink and poured the cold contents into his mouth to rehydrate, "Thanks."

"It's what a big sister would do," Hipper grumbled before crossing her arms against her much smaller chest, "Shikikan, tell me something, am I better than Eugen?"

The Commander sweatdropped with a tired sigh. This wasn't the first nor the last time Hipper had asked this question. Ever since he got her thanks to construction, Hipper made it her mission to be better than Prinz Eugen in every way. Any conversation to get reasoning was always ended with a denial. It didn't help that with Shikikan's marriage, Hipper seemed to double her efforts in making herself a 'better older sister.'

His silence made the older sister huff, muttering, "Baka."

A brow was raised when he heard that term, or insult, brought up to him. It wasn't new since Nelson called him the same thing but the officer never found the answer. The one ship girl that seemed to really call him that was Hammann. That little destroyer seemed to have a lot of hatred in her to call him that on a consistent basis.

"You mind telling me what that means?" he finally asked, wanting to help out his sister in law while learning the nickname

Hipper closed her eyes with a frown on her face, shaking her head, "You really don't know what it means? Surely someone has told you about it?"

"Other than Hammann calling me that, I have no clue. So what does it mean?"

She was about to answer before the door was busted open with a very worried Akashi, "C-Commander! Someone stole a special item nya!"

Both the Commander and Hipper gave the Repair Ship a blank look since she had a tendency to rip them off, "What was stolen, Akashi?"

The officer was promptly gripped from the sides of his head by the Sakura Repair Ship before being shaken violently, "IT WAS A PROMISE RING SHIKIKAN!"

A look of dread planted itself on the Commander's face with that news. Whoever had the promise ring no doubt would sow chaos among the shipgirls. Now, that didn't mean Shikikan was obligated to marry them but a promise ring is a promise ring. Those things were basically Akashi's bread and butter beside the constant need to expand the docks. If someone stole that, they were harming the Sakura ship's trade network.

Not like the officer would mind the prices go down, but still…

"Alright, I'll have the rest of the base look around for a missing promise ring, I'm sure we'll find it," the Commander said with a confident smile but neither Akashi nor Hipper were believing him

The Ironblood Heavy Cruiser spoke, "You'll have to offer them something or they'll just ignore it. Not like you will have a problem incentivizing them."

Shikikan grumbled under his breath. He really didn't like what she was hinting at but he knew it was true. If one of the girls found the missing Promise ring but there wasn't a reward, they'll simply keep it or sell it back to Akashi. The best way to find this promise ring was to offer the one thing the other factions want, his hand in marriage.

"Alright, let's get the word out and see the carnage that will begin," Shikikan said before making his way out of the workout room

"What will you do once this place begins to get turned upside down?" Hipper questioned, following after her new brother-in-law

The Commander answered, "Paperwork, someone's gotta do it."

* * *

Paperwork is what the Commander would have done if he didn't find himself hiding out in the Ironblood brewery. When he arrived at his office, he found the place literally torn to shreds and paperwork all over the place. That and several of his clothes were missing. No doubt Akagi got inside despite the number of locks he had installed. The search must have started right away once the news got out and apparently, the Commander's office was the first place the girls seemed to check.

Now, he and Hipper were enjoying a couple of German superior beers while they waited out the carnage outside. The tsundere sister-in-law already looking like she couldn't handle the drink with her cheeks flushed.

"What does my sister have that I don't? Is it...hic...because I'm flat?!" the Ironblood Heavy Cruiser suddenly demanded, her anger not diminishing even with the alcohol going through her system

Shikikan sweatdropped before answering, "I think you simply don't have a nice personality. This has nothing to do with your chest size."

"Is that what...hic...boys are into? From my studying, having a bigger bust seems to attract all of them…" the tsundere took a massive gulp of her drink, having a temporary look of content before returning to her frown

The Commander sighed with how naive that viewpoint was but it was a simple explanation, "Not exactly...Uh. Like anyone, personality can play a role in that and sometimes...uh…"

He honestly found very little to say before it got to some rather inappropriate material. Hipper, despite her looks, was a mature woman and older than Eugen. Still, it felt like he was a pervert if he really wanted to explain it as he imagined it. Lord have mercy on him if he ever did.

Before he could properly put together a valid explanation, Hipper beat him to the punchline, "So why do you seem to only date girls with a larger chest?"

Shikikan's face lit up like pepper with no way to refute that question. All of his interests happened to be girls with good curves. Even Z23, despite her being a Destroyer, had a curvy figure that only seemed to be enhanced with her retrofit. She was nowhere near as curvy as Takao, Tirpitz, or even Hood, but she had a charm to her.

"That's just personal tastes," he meekly replied, gulping his drink down quickly to ignore his lewd thoughts

"Baka…"

Both sat in silence with the Commander occasionally looking out the window to find Ark Royal blushing intensely while watching some of the Sakura Destroyers. In a few moments, Enterprise sprung out of nowhere with her eagle wearing a police light. Ark Royal made a dash for any escape with an Enterprise hot on her heels. This entire scene had taken place just outside the Ironblood Bar and in front of Shikikan.

"That Ark Royal never changes," Shikikan muttered before laying his head on the counter

The door to the bar was opened with Tirpitz entering the area. She spotted the Commander and Hipper having some drinks. However, she wasn't here to have drinks, she looked like she had some news.

"Kommandant, the ring has been found," the Battleship stated, but her posture was not of relief or sadness, but of caution

The officer raised his head quickly, his face contorting into a frown, "Who found it?"

* * *

Shikikan looked in absolute confusion when he saw the promise ring on the one thing he never expected it to be on. Was it on the ring finger of a girl he never expected to eventually marry? No, not really. It was on the horn of a specific plush unicorn which was being held by an adorable purple-haired girl. Thankfully the other girls hadn't realized this but how did Tirpitz find out?

"Explain," the officer said to the Ironblood battleship who was thinking, her usual pastime

* * *

She then looked at the Commander, "I was on my way to have Vestal to inspect my ship for any damage or faulty leaks. It was then I found something odd…"

_The day was bright, beautiful, and held a light breeze. Tirpitz's white cape flowed slightly as she made her way to the docks in hopes of finding the only repair ship that made a difference. No, it wasn't Akashi since she always ran the store. Thankfully, the Eagle Union had a dependable repair ship that never turned down a chance to help out her allies._

_She was possing by some of the Royal Navy shipgirls until a certain approached her. She felt a slight tug on her cape, taking her out of her thoughts and turning towards the source. Standing at around half her height was one of the Royal Navy aircraft carriers but she was no more than a little girl. A purple-haired girl wearing a white dress and holding a unicorn plushie in her arms._

"_Hello, Ms. Tirpitz...Are you getting a check-up too?" _Unicorn asked shyly, hiding her face behind her unicorn in fear of the Bismarck-Class battleship

_Tirpitz, despite how cold she was thanks to her solitude, couldn't deny that Unicorn was being quite cute with her shyness, "Yes, a regular inspection. Did you have yours, little one?"_

_Unicorn nodded vigorously, "Big brother said I need to so I don't hurt myself when the big meanies attack...Is it true that big brother married three of you?"_

_Tirpitz was about to reply but she saw the other Royal Navy ships looking in her direction. This could either be good news or bad news depending on how they felt about it. _

"_That is not for me to say," she simply answered before noticing something reflecting the sun's light off it_

_On the base of U-chan's horn was a ring loosely settled. It took all of Tirpitz's willpower not to question Unicorn on how she got one considering she was in her teens at best. Her thoughts turned to what the Commander was thinking in giving such a ring to a young girl who saw him as her brother. Was Shikikan secretly into little girls?!_

"_Attention. A promise ring was stolen from Akashi's store, please report the culprit and return the ring to the Commander. The first girl to do so wins his hand in marriage."_

_Tirpitz raised a brow before the pieces placed themselves. The ring must have been stolen by Unicorn at some point but did that mean the small aircraft carrier was in love with the Commander. If this was true, it was a brilliant but risky plan._

"_Little one, did you steal this?" the battleship questioned, pointing at the ring on her unicorn's horn_

_Unicorn looked to where Tirpitz was indicating only to find herself blushing immensely, her cheeks scarlet with the sight of the promise ring, "N-no! I would never steal! Big brother would be mad at me."_

Shikikan pinched the bridge of his nose while holding the missing promise ring in his hand and a quivering Unicorn holding his leg, "So our thief was a plushie? I was thinking Akashi simply mismanaged her inventory but this explains it."

* * *

The little aircraft carrier looked up at the officer with tears trailing down her face, "Is big brother mad at Unicorn?"

The Commander shook his head while sighing, picking up the little girl, "No, I can't ever get mad at you. I'm just a little upset that there was a fuss over this little thing."

Unicorn proceeded to hug the Commander while he watched the sun beginning to descend, indicating on the day slowly moving towards nighttime, "Let's get you back to the dorms before Illustrious begins to worry."

"What will happen to the ring, Kommandant?" Tirpitz questioned, having a feeling the other girls would be quite disappointed to hear the news

"Nothing for now. I'll just make an announcement so we can get the base under control. Once that happens, I'll just hold onto it until further notice. I got to get this one to sleep," Shikikan answered, waving at the battleship as he left the docks

"Big brother… is it okay for Unicorn to call you Papa?" Unicorn asked out of the blue while she rode on the shoulders of the officer

Tirpitz put a hand over her heart as she felt a pang go through it. Her eyes widened before her thoughts turned to that one word; papa. Once this war was over, was she even ready to settle down with the only person who melted her icy heart? As she thought about this, her knees felt weak to where she used her flag to steady herself. What would it be like to have a child on her own? Would she be a shipgirl like Tirpitz or just a normal human being like the Commander? All these questions were flowing endlessly through her head.

"Ms. Tirpitz, I'm ready to ch-Oh dear, are you alright?" the voice of Vestal spoke behind the Ironblood flagship but was barely paid any attention

* * *

**The next chapter will be the Royal Ball so stay tuned for that. Have a nice day/night**


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: This is the longest chapter I have done yet for this story and I will continue to make longer chapters. **

* * *

The early morning of the sun began rising above the horizon, shining its warming light onto land and sea before it. In the office of the Commander, the sun could not penetrate his reinforced defenses of curtains, blankets and comfy pillows. Nothing could break Shikikan's carefully placed trenches so he could sleep all morning. Absolutely nothing…

Until his door was opened and the curtains were pushed aside with light flooding the room and forcing the officer to dive into his blankets for cover. Who would dare unleash the sun's artillery upon him? Who dared to disturb the slumber he so desperately wanted to have without incident?

Why, it was one of the Royal Navy maids that dared to pull this stunt. The Commander uncovered himself and squinted with the harsh light in his eyes to see which one. To no one's surprise, it was the mighty Belfast, the head maid of the Royal Navy. One of Shikikan's best shipgirls to sortie with for two main reasons: she can make a really good breakfast and she basically made the enemy unable to hit a shot. But right now, she was his worst enemy.

"What time is it?" Shikikan grumbled while trying to go back to sleep, turning one of his pillows into a shield against the sunlight

"Eight o'clock master," Belfast answered, opening every single curtain to where the sunlight was inescapable, "Hood requested I had you awake at this time."

The Commander slowly got off of his bed, rubbing his tired eyes to wake them up, "She did? What for? Isn't the ball during the evening?"

The maid brought over tray that had a single mug, a filled coffee pot, and several condiments to supplement the drink. She set the assortment down on the Commander's desk before filling the mug with a fresh brew of hot coffee. She then added a couple scoops of sugar and a small amount of creamer before bringing the mug to the grateful officer.

"Yes, but I believe Hood is teaching some of the other girls how to waltz properly. Some of them are eager to learn," Belfast said, seeing a look of content on the officer's face as he drank the coffee, "Ah, her Majesty also wishes for you to partake in some activities today as well."

Taking a long sip of the deliciously brewed drink, the Commander replied, "Sounds fun. However, who will look after the paperwork while I'm busy?"

"That can be arranged. Her Majesty would never have you fall behind on important matters just for her sake. Is there anything you need before I depart?"

Shikikan set down the mug on his desk, refilling the fine porcelain before turning to the maid, "Will you be attending the ball yourself or will you be just assisting the others?"

The Light Cruiser smiled, giving a curtsy to the Commander, "This year, I will be attending. Her Majesty was grateful of my service. The other maids can handle the requirements without me."

The officer gave a nod as the maid departed from his quarters. He took another long sip of his coffee. The warm liquid was perfectly brewed to not be scorching hot but neither lukewarm. He could feel the caffeine giving his body the necessary awakening it needed to get on with his day. A day mainly with Hood teaching other shipgirls how to waltz.

He remembered last year being entertaining with the amount of dancing, fine drinks, and socializing. This was one of the few times where other members of the Azur Lane High Command would come together to enjoy themselves. No need to talk about the war or worry about strategic points. Just a day at a fancy party with fellow admirals and shipgirls.

Although Shikikan was the main admiral of the shipgirls, he had let some of his most powerful girls be under the command of other admirals. They desperately needed firepower and unchallenged versatility to hold onto heavily contended swaths of ocean. He hadn't seen those girls for over a year but he had heard their support boosted the morale of the sailors. The reports alone filled a good amount of his paperwork, several being requests to have the girls be permanently out of his command. Requests he denied due to a mix of fear and concern for the safety of the other admirals.

The Commander took another sip of his drink while turning towards his closet. He opened it to find among the large amounts of admiral suits, a single tuxedo that was carefully maintained. He had gone to great lengths to keep it looking brand new since Queen Elizabeth herself gave it to him. For as spoiled and naive that petite woman was, she knew how to reward the officer something worthwhile. A tuxedo that had a black bowtie and the end of the coat was cut in the middle to have flaps. A little too fancy for his tastes, but it was only used for special occasions.

For now, he dressed into his normal admiral uniform until it got closer to evening. He wouldn't need that suit until then so he better hurry up and eat some breakfast so he could meet Hood. The office outside of his room was quiet with no one walking, speaking, or being present. It was just him and he would leave the building to be alone for the day. Walking out from the front door, he could feel the heat of the sun blasting him while the ocean's cool winds brushed over him.

Closing the doors, he then put his hands into his pockets before making his way to the mess hall. He shouldn't expect too many shipgirls up and about for at least an hour. The leaves of the trees to his left and right blocked out the sun while he thought. Who would be there to learn from Hood? None of the Royal Navy ships would need such training since it was a requirement of their country for them to learn. As outlandish as that sounded, it made the whole process of teaching much easier.

Realistically, the Commander could only think of the Eagle Union or the Sakura Empire girls learning how to waltz properly. Their homelands had different forms of dance that was not like waltz at all. For the Eagle Union, they turned all the noble dances and put a lot more energy into them with jazz and/or swing music. Personally, Shikikan preferred those dances since they were much more fun, but the Royal Navy held the facilities, so what they said went.

At least if he didn't say otherwise.

* * *

Shikikan sat alone in the mess hall with a simple breakfast laid out on the table. Scrambled eggs, bacon, toast, and water. He already had his coffee earlier so there was no need to have another cup unless he wanted to crash. The mess hall was lightly populated with a few Destroyers, a couple of Cruisers, and Nevada manning the kitchen. Quite odd that he didn't find Hornet here yet, this was her preferred time to wake up by now.

"Hey Commander, who woke you up this early?" a voice said to his left, taking the neighboring seat

Speak of the devil.

"Hornet, I was just wondering when you would show up," he replied, his lips curling into a smile at the sight of the Carrier

The Yorktown-Class ship smiled in return while settling her food down. The same as the Commander but with a lot more bacon and eggs. Stereotypical Eagle Union ships and their love of protein-rich food.

With a piece of said bacon in her mouth, the shipgirl spoke, "A little birdy told me Hood was teaching some of us how to dance like a lady. _An elegant one at that might I say." _

The use of the Royal Navy's accent at the end made the officer chuckle, "You are correct. I guess she wants me to assist as an example. I could use a refresher after a year of mundane work."

"You can say that again. Hey, so is it true?" Hornet giggled before she turned to the Commander with an expectant look on her face, "Are those priority ships coming back?"

He gave a nod while taking a bite of his toast, the thoughts of seeing the priority ships again now filling his head, "Every single one of them. If I remember right, I sent Admiral Martin six of them."

"You do know that there are twelve of them now?"

His mind went blank when he heard Hornet mention the priority ships having twice their number. He only sent Martin the six he researched during his years on base. Did that mean Azur High Command had six other shipgirls that he did not hear of? None of the paperwork he had done for the past month mentioned another set of six shipgirls designed to take out Sirens. Unless, High Command was going to bring them here eventually.

"Twelve you say? I certainly need to meet the six that didn't come from here," he muttered, a shiver ran up his spine when he thought of one particular shipgirl, "I sure hope she isn't the same after spending some time away."

Hornet raised a brow, her curiosity piqued, "Who?"

The officer turned towards the shipgirl with a dreaded look in his eye, "Roon. Akagi can get bad but at least she was sweet about it but Roon...Oh boy. I don't think anyone in the Ironblood, besides Bismark, can keep her from blowing up the base."

"And you didn't marry her…" Hornet trailed, getting a sense of what the Commander was hinting at

He gave a nod, "I just pray that her time with the Admiral got her possessive nature away. If not, the insurance is going to have a field day with all the repairs."

Shikikan finished his breakfast quickly and prepared to leave to push the thoughts of Roon out of his mind. A year should be enough time for her to either lose that yandere part of her or at least have it tamed to manageable levels. Her main guns alone made the other cruisers fear her for their life. If there was a reason why the Commander wouldn't allow his shipgirls to be permanently under someone else's command, Roon was that reason.

Azur High Command better give him some answers once they got here tonight.

* * *

Shikikan was walking down the street on his way to the ballroom. Passing by many of the shipgirls staying on the base and giving his greetings. He passed by Akashi's store which only made him shake his head at her 'discounts' for certain items. The munitions store was next door with Shiranui having a sign quite literally saying 'no discounts' displayed on the window.

He heard a faint sound of music in the distance when he turned the corner to enter a separate street. This one leading up a hill to a large structure that resembled a small castle. Quite funny considering Queen Elizabeth went out of her way to have buildings constructed in her honor. At least, she tried to before the Commander shut them down as an unnecessary waste of space.

He opened the large double doors adorned with fine glass to find the interior wide open with the dance floor being the main area. There was a stage for the musical accompaniment to play their music or other reasons. Standing in the middle of the whole room was Hood twirling elegantly in a circular motion as if she was dancing with others. There was a record player seated on the stage with ballroom music playing through it.

The bright interior of gold and silver really shined with the sun's rays bouncing off the material to a glaring degree. Hood only stood out more with her blue modest apparel compared to the lavish gold and silver of the room. None of the other shipgirls were here yet so that meant Shikikan was on time.

"Enjoying yourself?" he asked with a chuckle which broke the Battlecruiser's concentration on the music, forcing her to stop

She smiled before going to the record player to stop the music, "I felt a little warm up would help prepare my lesson for today."

She grabbed the dial of the machine but put it back to where she wanted the music to play. She didn't put it in the resting position for a good reason. The music began to play with Hood taking a few steps towards the Commander. Grabbing both ends of her skirt, she bent down with her knees halfway to curtsy.

"May I have this dance, Commander~?" Hood asked with a different tone in her voice, one that was more elegant than how she normally talked

No doubt Shikikan was blushing right now. He never actually danced with Hood in last year's ball, that honor was to Wales. He couldn't bring himself to answer with his throat suddenly feeling dry and constricted. Instead, he did the next best thing by taking a few steps towards the Pride of the Royal Navy with shoulders rolled back. He looked like he was standing at attention until he bent himself from his waist to bow. He kept his face towards the ground until he rose back to his former position.

As of tradition in this dance, he offered his right hand to her respectfully. Hood did not hesitate to lay her left hand in his right before the two got closer. Her right hand joining his left while her left hand transferred to his right shoulder. Shikikan's right hand went to Hood's back before they proceeded to slowly waltz with the music.

They moved in a counterclockwise motion around the room but turned clockwise with their dance. Occasionally, the Commander stopped to twirl Hood once or to perform a maneuver that looked complicated to the average person but was child's play once learned. Minutes past by them while they were interlocked in this simple yet elegant looking form of dance.

He couldn't help but stare into her ocean blue eyes with her returning his gaze into his chocolate brown. The only thing that would break them out of this lasting gaze into each other's soul was the music stopping. Thankfully, Hood had chosen a rather long musical piece that seemed to drag for ages.

Then the unexpected happened. The Commander heard the music stop for a moment which allowed him to break out of his trance to notice they were not alone anymore. At the doorway were a few familiar faces staring at them with incredulous expressions. The notable shipgirls being Shoukaku, Hornet, Helena and Cleveland. He honestly expected more but the ball itself wasn't a requirement to attend, even if Queen Elizabeth would be ranting at him for allowing some girls to not attend.

"Mi-Milord? What are you doing here?" Yamashiro questioned, pointing at the officer that was still in a dancing pose with Hood

Hood broke away from the Commander before approaching the four shipgirls calmly, "I requested the Commander to assist in today's lesson. Are there any problems?"

Yamashiro shook her head while hiding her face lighting up red in front of the Commander. The prospect of dancing with him was too embarrassing for the unlucky Battleship. Thankfully, nobody laughed at the poor girl's embarrassing moment before Hood began her crash course.

A couple hours had passed before Hood concluded her seminar with the other shipgirls and bid them farewell with the Commander in tow. To be more precise, she gently grabbed his arm and took him towards the Royal Navy dorms without paying any mind to a pouting Shoukaku. They did pretty well, even with Yamashiro tripping herself every once in a while.

"So what kind of activities does her majesty want?" Shikikan asked to the graceful lady next to him

Hood hummed while changing her position to where she was pressed against his side with her head on his shoulder, "The Queen wishes to test some party games for the event. It's a tradition we have some entertainment during the ball. Belfast and the maids do such a nice job putting them together.

The Commander found himself blushing with the affection he was receiving from Hood, almost in a school girl kind of way. Nothing lewd about it but simply elegant. That was until he felt a tug on his other arm to find it wedged in between two soft mounds. He looked over and blushed even brighter to find a pouting Shoukaku looking at Hood while having his arm in between her breasts. It took all his willpower not to have a nosebleed right now considering his position between the two women.

"Shikikan, where are you going without me~?" the Older Crane Sister questioned sweetly to the officer

"Erm...I was…" he was about to answer, finding his voice failing him and his mind going blank when he felt both women press against him

Hood kept her elegant smile on her face despite the pouting aircraft carrier angry with her, "Don't worry Ms. Shoukaku, I'm not the one to worry about stealing the Commander. He's still got plenty of space for both of us."

This reply didn't stop the cute pout plastered on Shoukaku's face. Instead, she just tugged on the Commander's arm while looking at him, "Shikikan, whose breasts do you like more?"

"_What the question is that?! Is she trying to make me choose?" _Shikikan thought to himself, looking between the two women that had him under their control, "I would rather not answer that. I have many things to do."

Thankfully, this got the shipgirls to back off for the rest of the trip to the Royal dorms. Upon entry, they were greeted with three bodies lay still on the floor. The bodies of York, Jamaica, and Hermes were of note with expressions that clearly shown some sort of disgust. Belfast, Little Bel and Edinburgh were standing over them with an empty tray and barely contained giggles.

"Should I even ask what happened?" the Commander muttered with concern, slowly stepping around the three shipgirls who were unresponsive

Belfast was the first to satisfy his curiosity, "Welcome, Master. We were just testing out a prototype game that her Majesty would like to have at the ball. Don't worry about the three ladies suffering from our test, they were so willing to prove themselves."

Edinburgh stepped in with another tray that had small pastries no bigger than a coin in size. The Commander looked back at the three HMS shipgirls on the floor to notice that they were slightly drooling. They clearly ate something that assaulted their taste buds enough to render them unresponsive. These pastries must have been what they tried out and led them to their current status.

"I think I'll pass. I don't need to be in a hospital bed when we have a ball several hours from now," he stated firmly, unwilling to take part in something that would leave the High Command useless for a time

"Very well Master, we'll report this back to the Queen and come up with something else. Maybe lower the bad pastries effects to something sour," Belfast nodded, sending Edinburgh away with Little Bel

She then cocked her head a little seeing a very protective Shoukaku basically hugging the Commander's arm while looking at Hood simply affectionately hugging his other arm. If the head maid knew anything about the time she spent with the Commander, there was some fierce rivalry between the shipgirls. Although, she never expected it from Shoukaku of all the shipgirls the Commander recruited over the course of the war.

"Ahem, Master, I think it is time to look after the preparations of the ball. Here is a list of all the guests," Belfast stated while producing a paper from a nearby table for the Commander to inspect.

He was able to get his arms free to take a look at all the names printed out on the single piece. Some were obvious such as himself and several of the shipgirls but he found some names he was unfamiliar with. Names such as Georgia, Seattle, and Gascogne? Who were these people? Were these the shipgirls that Hornet mentioned, being built from High Command. How different were they compared to the priority ships he made here?

"Is everything in order?" Belfast asked, seeing the Commander intently look at the list as if he found something wrong

He took a moment to check once more but didn't notice anything off besides the new names, "Yeah, everything's looking great. Is there anything else we need to look after?"

"Yes, there are the drinks we have to consider and what kind of treats the guests should be served…" Belfast began to list off every little bit of the event with the Commander only nodding along

* * *

This was it, the Royal Ball was about to start or at least had started. The Commander checked himself once more to find no wrinkles in his suit. That part was taken care of along with the little matters Belfast informed him about. He felt his nerves jitter a bit knowing he was about to meet some new shipgirls that he had never met before. The worst part was meeting Roon again after so long.

"_Martin, I swear to god you better have knocked her behavior away," _he thought to himself while pulling his bowtie tightly

He grabbed any necessities and made sure he sprayed on some cologne even though he had already taken a shower. A pair of white gloves rested in one of his pockets along with a handkerchief for backup. You never know what was going to happen when the shipgirls got together. Lastly, he grabbed an additional coat just in case the weather got too chilly. Although, nights like this near the equator were quite nice to walk around.

Leaving the room, Shikikan took a glance around the office to find it quiet. He let the other girls have the rest of the night off to join the ball or rest. He was looking forward to seeing the shipgirls in their party attire, especially Hood. A blush formed heavily on his cheeks when said thoughts began to go much further than admiring Hood's features. Those thoughts making his pants feel quite tight when they were comfortable before.

"_Slow down hotshot, can't break protocol. I need these girls at their best," _

With his mind under control, and a certain uncomfortable strain in his pants dealt with, the Commander left the building to begin his small walk to the Royal Ball. However, he wasn't expecting a beautiful lady waiting for him on the other side. The moment Shikikan opened the door, he found Shoukaku waiting for him but looking more beautiful than ever.

Her outfit seemed to be made of silk considering it was semi-transparent. It was a far cry compared to her more modest kimono she normally wore. Her dress didn't even reach her knees and seemed to only peek Shikikan's interest. Her cleavage was quite visible and only a part of her hair was tied with a flower-like item while the rest flowed freely. Finally, she had flowing strands of her dress similar to her kimono.

"Wow...You look amazing," the Commander uttered, the previous thoughts he had now forcing their way back

His comment only made the Sakura carrier blush greatly, something he normally didn't see on a daily basis, "Thank you, Shikikan. You look more handsome."

Shoukaku approached him and took one of his arms but with more care and without a Royal Navy Battlecruiser to contend with. They were silent on the way over to the Royal Ball but the Commander couldn't deny that Shoukaku had his attention. Ever since she joined his fleet, she had worked diligently to prove herself and keep her sister safe. Shikikan knew that she had feelings for him but neither of them were sure how to express them without it being cheesy.

In no time at all, the Royal Ball was in front of them with a grand amount of lights brightening the area. The inside shined in golden light with classical music being played from the inside. The Commander noticed that other officers were now here and making idle chatter with shipgirls of their respective nations. This was a sight Shikikan fought for, a world united against the Sirens and not each other.

"Commander, took you long enough," a voice, a much older male voice, said

He looked up to the steps to find a elderly man dressed quite nicely for the event. He wore a more embroidered suit with several medals showing off his ranking and still adorned with a naval cap. The man was a little chubby, having lost the need to exercise due to his age but was still healthy enough. A thick gray beard placed itself on his wrinkly face but his green eyes still held a firm command to them. Although he looked imposing, he was a bit shorter compared to his contemporaries.

"I'll see you inside," Shikikan said, wanting to speak to the High Admiral on his own

Taking this perfect moment to embarrass him further, Shoukaku kissed the officer on the cheek before she went inside the structure. Shikikan was left spellbound for a moment before turning his attention to the older man ahead of him.

Reaching out for a handshake, the Commander smiled, "Martin, still kicking as usual?"

The High Admiral grabbed Shikikan's hand and gave it a firm shake, "I'm not dead yet! I see you got yourself into a rather...impressive position."

A heavy blush fell upon the Commander, "Let's not talk about that. Any sign of the Sirens since the Operation Hammerhead?"

The older man shook his head, resting himself against a tree while looking out at the ocean, "I'm afraid not. Ever since we took out a couple of them permanently, they stopped their assaults besides the occasional raid on our convoys. Those priority ships you sent us made short work of them."

"How are they? I heard you got priority ships of your own now."

Martin chuckled before gesturing towards the doors, "They're inside, waiting for you. As for the others, yeah, we took a page from you and made six. Some of them don't hit as hard as yours but they are a godsend compared to our normal ships."

The Commander nodded, "So what brings them here if they are such a great help with your fleet?"

"Two things, I'm putting them under your supervision and you're being promoted," the High Admiral answered with a grin, leaving Shikikan stunned

"Run that by me again. You're giving me your shipgirls along with the ones I sent you and I'm getting promoted…" he trailed, unsure how to feel about having more shipgirls in his already chaotic island base

The elderly man placed a hand on the younger officer's shoulder before explaining, "Listen, Commander, you're the only one to handle these girls correctly. High Command has taken some of their designs to improve our own ships so we have a better chance. Besides, I'd rather have my sailors focusing on not dying than eyeing those shipgirls."

Shikikan replied, "I understand that. It just seems a bit odd that you aren't keeping a few just in case. You never know when you need them."

Martin scoffed, waving off the officer's concern like a stubborn man he was, "We'll be fine. Now, let's forget about the war and focus on less important matters. I believe you have some girls waiting for you."

The Commander smiled and turned to go inside but he stopped when he heard the High Admiral speak again, "Oh, by the way, we heard your concern with how protocol is and your shipgirls that have increasingly got more sexual. Let me just relieve in saying that you have no need to worry, I had one of our scientists conduct a test."

"Uh..sir...not out here," Shikikan muttered with a growing blush, thankfully not getting the attention of the other guests or shipgirls

The old man chuckled while lowering his voice, "If anything escalates, you ain't going to get one of them pregnant. Something about Wisdom Cubes not allowing normal conception yadda yadda yadda. So go get them...Admiral,"

Martin gave an informal salute as the Comm-...No, the Admiral gave him a thumbs up before proceeding inside. A massive load fell off his shoulders on hearing that news but another fear replaced it. He better not go spreading that around the base or he'll never be able to get out of his office. But if the shipgirls couldn't have children, then what would happen once the war ended.

"_Ok, not those thoughts. Let's just have a good time and move on," _the Admiral said to himself as his vision was blinded by the bright lights inside

A moment to adjust to the brightness and he found himself in awe with how grand the dancing area was. There was a massive circle for officers and shipgirls to dance in while musicians played their music on the stage behind them. Forming that circle was many tables mostly filled by shipgirls who either watched the dance or chatted idly. The Royal Navy maids were working overtime to serve food to everyone. Many drinks were placed on rectangular tables for patrons to just grab and enjoy.

"How is it so far, Master?" a voice spoke behind him, no doubt being Belfast

Shikikan turned around to find himself in awe of what the Light Cruiser dressed herself with. Gone was her maid outfit but being replaced with a lovely dark blue dress that was much more modest. A black bow nestled itself on the back of her head with her hair being mostly free. She wore dark blue sleeves that covered her arms from her upper arm to her hands. To finish it off, she wore black high heeled shoes to compliment her attire.

The Admiral found himself ogling her for too long, snapping back to her question, "Magnificent as always, Belfast. The Royal Navy knows how to outdo itself every time."

This brought a smile to Belfast, "Thank you, Comm-"

"Admiral now, just got promoted," he corrected, rubbing the back of his head at how informal his promotion was

"Apologies, Admiral," she finished before leaving the Admiral to enjoy himself

Shikikan had to admit that he was loving the sight of all the guests in their expensive clothing, a dark thought of Akashi basking in gems crossed his mind. Everyone seemed to be having a great time. Taking a seat, the Admiral enjoyed himself a drink prepared by the maids and just watched the other guests from afar. His eyes scanning for any women who didn't fit the profile of the shipgirls on base.

His eyes wandered over the many bodies of people surrounding the area but he had yet to spot a shipgirl unfamiliar to him until he looked around where he sat. Sitting across from him was a shipgirl that held an eerily neutral stare at him. She was slender in build with blue hair that barely reached her the top of her shoulders. Bright yellow eyes were staring into his very soul for some sort of answer to a question.

"Ahem...I don't think we've met before. What's your name?" the Admiral asked, hoping this wasn't another Roon situation

The girl blinked before speaking with her head cocked to the side, "Are you my new master? Master Martin confirmed that I was reassigned the base commander."

Her tone was robotic like she came off an assembly line that only made the conversation awkward, "I am the base commander."

The two black attanae 'ears' on her head twitched, staring at the officer with those lifeless eyes of hers. Shikikan wasn't sure what she was thinking or if she was trying to form a reaction with the news. Was this one of the priority shipgirls that Martin was transferring over to him?

He got his answer when the girl stood up and bowed, "Gascogne, the 4th Battleship of the Richelieu-class, was cancelled due to the start of the World War. But, this time, Gascogne will fight for the Master, and annihilate the enemy that blocks the Master's path."

"Nice to meet you Gascone, I'm sure you'll fit right in," the Admiral smiled at French shipgirl, earning him the same blank look

He sweatdropped since he was used to having shipgirls at least give him a reaction rather than a blank stare. Even Shiranui showed some emotion from time to time but this girl seemed to lack it.

"Emotions are too difficult,"

The Admiral didn't have more to say as he heard the music begin to play a new piece and many bodies proceeded to the dance floor. His eyes turned to the dance floor and his memory came back to him that he was supposed to find Shoukaku. Thankfully his search wouldn't be long since she stood out from the rest of the crowd. No doubt looking for him for the past several minutes since he was conversing with Belfast and Gascogne.

"Shikikan, there you are." the Sakura aircraft pouted cutely at him, grabbing his hand quickly and pulling him towards

Before he could question what she was putting him into, which should have been obvious, Shikikan found himself on the dance floor with Shoukaku. If he were to guess why she brought him out here, it would most likely be to one up Hood. Speaking of that battlecruiser, where was she in this event?

Wherever she was, the Admiral's attention was taken away by Shoukaku. Her sky-blue eyes had him entranced to her alone, his arms taking the position he took during the practice waltz. Shoukaku placed one of her hands on the officer's shoulder and the other was held by his hand. Time seemed to not exist for either of them, the only surroundings being the color of their eyes and the small movements of their steps.

As the duo enjoyed themselves on the dance floor with the other couples, they were unaware of an upper balcony that specific members of the Royal Navy could access. Hood looked down at the dance floor with a gentle smile on her lips, still in her normal attire for the time while a good amount of her colleagues had dressed elegantly.

One battleship decided to break her silence, "Ms. Hood, are you not worried about the race for the Commander's heart?"

The battlecruiser turned to slightly look down at the boisterous Queen Elizabeth, who changed her attire to a white ball gown, "Worried? I can't force his heart to reciprocate the same feelings."

Her Majesty seemed not content with that answer, her eyes narrowing slightly, "Oh? Surely he fancies you more than the rest, does he not?"

Hood turned back to observing the dance floor with her back to the Queen, "Out of the Her Majesty's Ships? Yes, as far as I have seen. Good things come to those who wait."

Queen Elizabeth said nothing, looking to observe the Shikikan dancing with Shoukaku. While Hood was content to wait her turn, the Queen had no luxury. Her eyes only seemed to glare daggers at the curvy Sakura carrier.

"Damn those other battleships and carriers for having a gift I cannot have," the petite Battleship muttered under her breath, turning away before she exploded in fury

* * *

Shikikan was on his way back to his room with Shoukaku hugging his side affectionately. Compared to earlier in the day, she had a content smile on her face while being buried into the Admiral's clothing. Although, he noticed that her outfit didn't exactly do well to keep her warm and the cool air was blowing. Taking off his extra coat, he wrapped it around the Sakura Crane Sister with a blush being his reward.

They stayed for about three hours before sleep was calling for the officer to head back home. He had taken a few drinks but didn't make the same mistake he made at the Ironblood Brewery. The last thing he needed was putting another promise ring on a shipgirl when his state of mind was not rational.

"E-erm...Shikikan…" she mumbled with her blush growing, a specific thought coming to her since they were alone

"Hm?"

He was expecting her to say thanks for dancing with her, but he was terribly mistaken, "Do you know what it means for cranes to dance with each other?"

The Admiral raised a brow at such a question due to his knowledge of animals being mediocre at best, "Er, no. What does it mean?"

The Elder Crane Sister took a deep breath before looking at him in the eye, her usual smile was on her face despite her blush, "It's a mating ritual for cranes to find their lifelong mate."

Either it was the alcohol or the exhaustion that prevented the officer from reacting right away. The meaning of two animals 'dancing' with each other as a form of mating ritual seemed odd. What was that supposed to mean? He opened the door to his personal room before his slightly intoxicated brain finally processed the meaning altogether.

Shikikan's face was a bright as a tomato when he turned back to Shoukaku. He got the meaning now and it didn't help with their proximity to each other. Words escaped him to respond as she advanced on him. His limbs felt like unmoving steel beams like nails planted themselves in his feet.

His eyes locked onto Shoukaku with the mesmerizing feeling enveloping him once more. In the unlit room of his with only the light of the moon shining inside, he didn't see her hands come forward to cup his face. Her sky-blue eyes disappeared before he felt the warm feeling of her lips on his own. Just the Admiral and his shipgirl sharing a kiss in the night with only the moon to shine upon them.

Except that wasn't all that happened that night.

* * *

**Alright. Do you like long chapters like these or do you prefer the shorter ones? Leave a review below with your thoughts of the chapter and stay tuned as usual. **


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: Nothing more to say but thank you all for the reviews, favs and follows. Enjoy**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Azur Lane except my personal version of the Commander**

* * *

The Admiral was looking at his new office building with a great sense of pride welling up in his chest. It had been a week since his promotion and the base had to undergo some renovations to compliment his new position. The first thing is a flat upgrade to all the facilities, especially his simple-looking office. Another had been a complete overhaul of the docks, a very necessary change considering the new shipgirls under his command. Some of them being larger than most of the other shipgirls combined thanks to either experimental design. No wonder they never saw service...Some of them were logistical nightmares!

Speaking of logistical nightmares, that was another problem needing to be addressed right away. High Command was mostly straightforward about the development of their ships but these priority shipgirls were very wrong. So much unnecessary weight and armaments for ships of their caliber. Thankfully, with a little help from the eggheads, he 'fixed' their issues quickly. By fixing, he meant entirely redesigning their ships and changing their main guns.

If that wasn't enough, Shikikan really dug himself into a hole during the night of the Royal Ball. Fate seemed to really hate him lately when he found himself waking up completely naked and sleeping in the same bed with an equally naked Shoukaku. Thank the heavens Martin gave him the good news that he wouldn't impregnate these girls because he was sure he fucked up somewhere. He couldn't even remember what happened after she kissed him, but it wasn't hard to guess what. Either way, he and Shoukaku were tight-lipped about what happened that night if asked.

Back to his new office, gone were the rudimentary wooden structuring support and in with steel beams. Entirely new wiring, walls, insulation, and redesigned meeting rooms. High Command was generous enough to include a war room fit with the latest technology available to him. Although, they cheaped out by not making his job paper-free. He still had paperwork to do and phone calls to make with the higher-ups. At least he hasn't glued to his desk anymore.

Stepping inside the building, he immediately went to where his room was and opened the door. The first sight he received was the room almost triple in size compared to earlier. His bathroom was a bit larger, his closet expanded, and a sofa was added in case he had multiple visitors. Overall, mostly room to walk around rather than put more furniture.

He sighed in content, tracing his hand over his desk before taking a seat, "This is great. Now, what was on today's agenda?"

He pulled out a stack of papers, rummaging through them with an entirely new secretary schedule. With a dozen shipgirls joining his large roster, he needed to remake the entire schedule for one specific person-well, two actually. One being a shipgirl that drove fear into the Admiral's heart and sent chills down his bones. Another being Gascogne, that odd shipgirl he met during the event. He got profiles on the six new shipgirls that joined him but there wasn't anything to help him understand them.

Oh well, doing it the old fashioned way was his specialty.

"Herr Admiral~" he heard the sound of death approaching

His pupils dilated until they were pinpricks while his body shuddered at the thoughts of his many possible deaths. He needed to play his cards right and hope that Martin had God's grace in taming the yandere beast approaching. If not, there was one option he had left, and it would probably end up with his death either way.

The knock-on his front door only signaled death's calling, "C-Come in."

When the last line of defense fell, the Admiral steeled his nerves and grit his teeth to what was in front of him. A woman that was slightly shorter than him in height with shoulder-length blonde hair. Strings of red were noticeable in her hair with the distinguishable metal fins on the sides of her head. Her standard Ironblood uniform was quite feminine with how tight it fit her body, accentuating her bosom, and her skirt barely covered her undergarments. Armored leggings covered just under the knee to her foot. Usually, she wore armored gloves but due to being in a friendly port, she didn't wear them. Lastly, her yellow iris eyes with pupils looking predatory compared to the average shipgirl.

Shikikan used what power he had to speak normally despite his legs still shaking with only the desk hiding his fear, "Hello Roon, long time no see."

Roon walked closer to his desk, every step making a metallic clap, "Meine Geliebte_, _I have returned after a year's time. Did you get my reports?"

Her tone came off as very sweet coupled with her making a cute smile. Yet, the Admiral knew that this was the outward appearance of Roon and not what was underneath. He opened the drawer to find a single folder that weighed several pounds in the number of reports he received. Dozens and dozens of combat reports that made even his most veteran shipgirls look like amateurs.

"I get them all the time. The High Admiral was..." Shikikan was afraid to say what his CO told him in the past, "...impressed with your performance."

The smile on the lady grew more with the compliment she was given. If the desk was the Admiral's last fortress, the Heavy Cruiser shipgirl bypassed it and walked up to him directly. His pupils shrunk more as every step, every movement, closer to him was a step closer to what afterlife there was. Before he could muster any form of resistance or at least the thought of resisting, Roon was straddling his waist. Her face was inches away from his, the cute smile still on her face yet the look in her eye said otherwise.

"I know. He told me himself," the Ironblood shipgirl finally said with her one finger placed over the Admiral's lips to silence him, "He was also concerned with my...eagerness to neutralize the enemy."

"_So he did do something." _went through Shikikan's mind, his fate left at the mercy of this girl in his lap

He couldn't speak thanks to the finger on his lips nor did he dare to. The last thing he wanted to do was make Roon angry. If a yandere had a scaling of how deadly and scary they were, Roon surpassed that scaling.

He would be surprised when the shipgirl's smile faded from her face and she looked away. Her eyes went downcast like she had been told off by her mother. That unrivaled predator in her eyes faded like her smile which both made the Admiral lose his fear and grew concerned.

"Are you...okay?" he gently asked with a hand slowly rising to her face

He felt a wetness on her face before seeing a thin trail of liquid on her cheek. The Admiral was visibly more confused than ever to see Roon in such a state. There had been one other time that he had seen her cry, and that was when she almost ended his life by accident.

"I...want you to see…" the Ironblood shipgirl spoke, rubbing the tears away from her eyes and looking at her officer

This begged the question, "To see what?"

Her answer was to grab his hands and place them on the 'fins' rested upon her head. The moment his hands made contact with the metal appendages, the whole world went black.

* * *

Shikikan groaned with the feeling of a headache rising for an attack. Eyes fluttering open hesitantly, he found his surroundings to be completely different from the personal room. Instead, he was now in another office that had a heavy German influence around it. Papers full of sketches and blueprints were everywhere labeled 'KMS' in corners and the Iron Cross stamped in approval to some.

"I was not even a blueprint," the Admiral turned to see Roon looking around the office, her hands delicately touching the scattered sketches

She stopped at one particular one, a sketch of her turrets but nothing else to compliment them. A frown plastered itself on her face as she held the paper in her bare hands. The officer got up and looked at each other blueprints to find some Ironblood shipgirl designs fully finished. Bismarck, Scharnhorst, Eugen, Deutschland, ect. None held Roon besides the very paper she held-just a couple of turret designs for other ships.

The pieces still weren't adding up in what she was trying to convey, "Is this what causes you to go into your destructive mode? The part of you that everyone fears?"

To the officer's dismay, Roon shook her head, "No. That is a combination of things. A good amount being the anger, frustration, and lack of empathy from the other Ironblood girls."

"You're containing all of that?"

"You thought all those sorties were just battles?" the Ironblood priority ship questioned, "I can feel every emotion they all felt whether they were by your side, against you, or with each other. I can see and feel what they didn't show you first."

That was starting to make more sense. Ever since he got Roon's blueprint, which was made up based off of old folk tales, he had put what Ironblood ships he had to the test. Thanks to the great technology of the Wisdom Cubes, a whole lot of faith and hard work gave him results. But he never thought that every single one of the Ironblood shipgirls were basically making Roon unstable.

"Why not the others?" The Admiral asked

"They either had blueprints or their comrades believed in something to counteract the effects," Roon began, "Can you imagine the only reason you exist is because of faith, blood, and tears?"

Shikikan had no response to that, he wouldn't know how that felt. The scenery began to warp with the office shredding into particles before reforming into a different picture. They were back at the island base but there were many things wrong. The docks seemed to have shrunk, the structures housing ammunition and fuel were rusted, AA turrets were completely gone, and the little town was abandoned. It looked like years had passed by for the island due to the rust alone.

The sun was slowly drifting downwards to make way for the night. The skies clear of any clouds and the water was perfectly still. No sign of the other shipgirls, or even the Manjuu, anywhere.

"What are you showing me?" he asked the shipgirl

Roon was silent, walking across the smaller dock until she reached the end of the wooden walkway. She sat at the edge while looking at the sunset. Her frown never wavered nor her downcast look on her face. The Admiral sat next to her and awaited for her to answer him. There was a reason she was allowing him to look inside.

After several long minutes of waiting, Roon began to speak, "Admiral, what do you plan to do when this war is over?"

Not exactly answering his question but she must be going somewhere with this. The officer took a moment to look at the sun to ponder. What would he do once the war was finished? Assuming they beat all the Sirens and send them packing or outright murdering them.

He actually felt conflicted, wincing at multiple paths he could imagine himself taking, "I don't know. I...haven't thought that far ahead. I guess continue to do what I do best after a vacation."

His answer actually broke the spell on the shipgirl's frown, replaced momentarily by a light smile before she frowned again, "What do you think will happen to us?"

"Hm?" the Admiral looked really confused at such a nonsensical question, "Wouldn't you just go home and ma-"

"What if we get decommissioned or scrapped!?" Roon suddenly raised her voice at the officer, stunning him with her eyes misting up to release tears

Shikikan could only look at Roon's yellow eyes to find her showing a sign of vulnerability to him. This was not a look he ever expected to see from her. A look of a girl who was scared at the possibility of being useless. All her prowess in combat would be for nothing if there were no enemies to fight. No report to brag about and no Admiral to try to get the affections for.

"You're afraid…" Shikikan slowly said, brining the Ironblood girl into an embrace, "You're afraid of being turned into nothing again,"

The puzzle was now complete with the final piece aligning itself. Roon was nothing more than a thought for a possible ship but with no blueprint. The Wisdom cubes allowed her to be made into a blueprint and eventually constructed by Shikikan. The emotions, pain, and victory of her comrades molded her to be the deadliest ship in their arsenal. The war gave her a purpose to unleash those bottled emotions out on the enemy, but also let it out on her own allies. If there was no war, who would need a shipgirl like Roon? She didn't have anything awaiting her unlike the others. She was a nobody without the war.

"Every enemy I destroy...Every Siren I murder by my hand...I do it for you," the Ironblood priority ship stated, "I don't want to be forgotten."

She grasped his hands, staring intently into his eyes with tears flowing like rivers down her cheeks, "Don't forget me...Admiral."

Roon was not the psychotic heavy cruiser that Shikikan always assumed. She was just another shipgirl that had hopes and dreams but with a fate she couldn't bear to think about. The priority ships had at least a blueprint or were built but scuttled. They could at least be reviewed and changed to fit whatever global agreement was made, but Roon, she couldn't. It was only by the power of the Wisdom Cubes alone that she was here.

Shikikan gave the distraught Ironblood a gentle smile, using the thumb of his right hand to wipe away the tears, "No, I won't forget you."

"You promise?" Roon questioned, the tears stopped flowing at that moment

He gave a firm nod before bringing the girl into another embrace. He refused to let her leave his grasp until she calmed down. Sure, the future was scary, but that meant Roon needed to trust him.

The scenery warped again before going completely black and sending the Admiral back to his original spot. He was back in his chair with Roon still on his lap but she wasn't crying and her aura was nowhere as scary as usual. The predatory look in her eyes was gone and looked more normal. Whether or not her destructive personality would play itself out was yet to be tested.

"Come on, I'm going to need a coffee before we get these papers done," the Admiral stated, gesturing for Roon to get off of his lap

The Ironblood shipgirl smiled at him before getting off to let him stand up, "Aye aye, herr Admiral."

For once, the mess hall wasn't destroyed when one of the other shipgirls tried to flirt with the Admiral, but it was heavily damaged.

* * *

**One of my shorter chapters with a focus on our yandere Ironblood priority ship. I wanted to cover her for a while so here you go. See you next chapter**


	9. Chapter 9

**AN: Hey all, it's me again. Just making a short little announcement here by saying I don't own anything. Also, looking at the idol stuff coming up next year is making me scream internally. Also, this chapter was meant to be longer but sickness and lack of creativity with this has made me cut it short.**

* * *

Another day, another day of keeping on top of paperwork but at a more efficient rate. Said efficiency was enhanced with the Admiral having multiple shipgirls handling the paperwork. He really needed to thank High Command for the upgrade that allowed him such a luxury. His stress levels had reduced significantly in the past week and his sleep schedule working in his favor. However, all these gifts came with a curse; more free time for the various shipgirls to take from him.

Currently, he was laying on his newly installed sofa while enjoying a little music. The paperwork was mostly complete so a break was in order or a headache would happen. Sighing in content, Shikikan closed his eyes to drift into sleep.

"Ufufu, resting on the job without Akagi to snuggle you?~"

The Admiral didn't respond but he really wanted to give a groan of annoyance. Then again, what could he do to the kitsune that wouldn't leave his side no matter how nicely or how direct he told her not to. She was one very persistent shipgirl and he just couldn't figure out why it always had to be him. Not even when he planned the Battle of Midway with Martin to destroy her, Kaga, Hiryu and Souryu. Akagi had this strange obsession for him, and only him,.

With his eyes closed, he didn't spot where Akagi was until he felt his head lifted up before resting on something soft. No doubt it had to be her lap that was mostly covered up with her red skirt and dark stockings. Yet, something felt different about the touch, like she was wearing something different today. The Admiral almost opened his eyes but he was afraid that he would just get an eyeful of her breasts.

"Admiral!" the door suddenly slammed open with the voice of a very panicked Souryu; must be the Sakura Empire's turn to handle secretary work, "We're broke."

The officer almost had a blood vessel pop at those news. Dammit! He swore that he upgraded the marketplace so they would have a much easier time making money. How did they run out so quickly within a week of getting their renovated base.

Oh wait…

"High Command isn't going to pay for it?" he asked in a calm tone, reigning in his frustration before it got loose

"Not exactly. They paid for your office only but the rest is on the base to pay off," the lesser Sakura carrier answered as she ruffled through some paperwork, "We are short thirty thousand to pay off the construction."

This got Shikikan to open his eyes and rise off of Akagi's lap, much to her dismay, before rubbing his temples, "So we're in debt now?"

Souryu was silent, but she nodded, "Yes sir, but there is a solution."

Oh thank the lord Souryu had a plan, "Lay it on me."

He felt Akagi's hands on his shoulders before she began to knead her knuckles into his shoulder blades slowly. The feeling already relaxing the tense area and making the officer lose some of his stress right then and there. If there was one thing he couldn't deny Akagi, she knew how to calm him down if he lost a screw. A rare occasion but once he lost it, he really lost it.

Souryu was silent the entire time, adjusting her glasses until she spoke, "From my research, the mainlands have a large market for music. One particular type could easily make us the funds necessary for the payment and allow us to store savings for emergencies."

"That type of music being?" Shikikan raised a brow

"Idols...The market for idols is quite large…"

There was a stunned silence following that declaration with the Admiral staring at the floor. Souryu looked to Akagi to see if she said something wrong or the stress was getting to their officer. The kitsune was too busy having her way to really give a straight answer, smiling like a schoolgirl having kissed her crush.

"Not this shit again…" was all they heard from Shikikan

* * *

Shikikan was now standing in the middle of town overseeing the construction of the idol competition. He really didn't want to do this, but they needed the money very badly. Thank goodness the Manjus worked around the clock without complaints or demands for compensation. Those little chicks could build something in a day what would normally take a week. They maintained all the ships around the island and somehow kept things orderly.

Now came the fun part, organizing said idol competition and airing it for all the world to see. No doubt teenagers or their mothers would watch this in a heartbeat but apparently men liked this stuff too. Why? It was just a bunch of cute girls dressing up in s-...Oh wait.

The Admiral mentally facepalmed with how simple human beings were. No wonder the Sirens made a mockery of them until humanity finally had a pair of balls to take the fight. Of course, that meant making previously existing ships get a human form and personality which often led to the debate whether or not the shipgirls were human. If someone were to ask Shikikan, he could absolutely confirm the shipgirls were human and not some mechanoid looking human. It was still hard to take in for the average person.

Nevertheless, it was time to figure out how to set this competition up. Should the base have an all out battle between groups and decide on a winner at the end? Should they base it off the worldwide reception? If the Admiral needed the cash this badly, he would have to have the mob run this one. If that was the case, then he was basically piggybacking off of whatever happens.

"Herr Admiral~. I knew you wouldn't cheat on me~," he felt someone wrap their hands around his waist before hugging him tightly

Yep, it was Roon. He shouldn't be surprised that it was her considering he made that promise to her other day. The Admiral relaxed when he thought of that day, knowing what the cruiser was going through right now. At least she had him to help her through it all, that was a fact. The only problem was her chest was pressing up against his back, and that was not a very appropriate thing to see.

"Nice to see you again, Roon. Do you mind?" Shikikan said with as polite of a tone as he could

Thankfully that got Roon off of his back, literally. Turning towards her, he rose a brow when he noticed all her rigging was activated, "Uh...There aren't any enemies. You can deactivate your rigging now."

Roon only giggled before that signature yandere look appeared again, "Oh, there are plenty of enemies. Every girl is an enemy to my beloved…"

"Hold on, say what now?" the officer gave blank stare as the Ironblood shipgirl continued her ramble

"...If they dare lay a finger on you, I'll pulverize them with these 203MM cannons you assigned to me…"

"_Okay...should I stop her now or continue to hear her ramble?" _Shikikan wondered while continuing to observe

As Shikikan just watched with a blank look, Roon's face progressively got flushed with her acting like a schoolgirl but talking like a serial killer. Even her mechanized dragonesque cannon gave the girl a confused look. He then turned back to the Manjus working on the stage. Everything was going to plan so far until he noticed one thing.

One red haired problem who was hooking up all the musical equipment to test for herself. Her attire being heavily inspired by idol singers with a white shirt adorned with a black vest coupled with a red tie. She wore fingerless gloves and held a unique microphone in one of her hands. She wasn't as tall as the other light cruisers of her type, but she wasn't that short either.

"San Diego, what are you doing?"

The shipgirl turned around with a cheeky smile on her face while holding the microphone near her lips, "Don't you know? I'm numbah wan~"

She struck a pose in front of the Admiral which he reacted with a blank look. Roon had stopped her rambling to turn her cannons upon the cruiser with malicious intent. San Diego lost her bubbly expression and proceeded to hide behind a group of Manju who were equally as scared.

"Shall I rid of her, Herr Admiral?" Roon's dragonesque main gun was open with a round ready to fire upon his approval

Instead, he put a hand on her shoulder, forcing the Ironblood to disarm her shot, "We can't do that when I'm supposed to run an idol competition."

Roon gave a huff of annoyance while Sandy gave a sigh of relief, giving her thanks to Shikikan before Roon got a chance to try again. Looking at his plans, he needed to see how many shipgirls were going to participate. Especially if there was going to be groups, which is a given considering this genre of music, competing rather than individuals.

Shikikan took a deep breath, "I think I'm just going to leave the sign ups wide open for anyone. I doubt the global audience will have any problems with so many girls singing."

"Will you be charming us with your own voice~? Everyone heard about your little dance number during the storm," the Ironblood shipgirl questioned, twirling a lock of her hair with one of her fingers as she looked at the officer with an expectant smile

The man chuckled at such a stupid notion. Him singing? The last time that happened was when he barely got out of Azur Lane Naval Academy with a lot more happiness and a lot less stress. That singing was either meant to joke with his fellow graduates, many of whom he hadn't spoken in years, or pass the time as best he could. He wondered what they were up to, if they hadn't been killed in combat already. Then again, he did remember he joined his fellow admirals in some karaoke at a bar reserved for the navy.

No shipgirls, just a bunch of men sharing drinks and catching up. Shikikan really wanted to do one of those if he wasn't worrying about being broke.

"Not really in the mood to make an embarrassment out of myself,"

He proceeded back to the office when his stomach happened to grumble. Today was going to be long so might as well get some food down there before his body gave him some consequences.

Upon arriving at said office building, Shikikan found the place entirely deserted with paperwork completed. He breathed a nice breath of fresh air to know he didn't have paperwork to worry about. Just a dumb idol competition to raise the funds to pay High Command for their cheap manuever. He opened the door to his personal quarters with his 'dedicated' bodyguard rushing into the room right away.

"Do not worry, meine geliebte. I will make you something~," Roon insisted, walking to the Admiral's small kitchen to get an idea of what to make

He raised a brow at the insistence, not totally against the idea but a little wary of her intentions, "I can make myself something. I appreciate your generosity, Roon, but do you even know how to cook?"

His words seemed to have landed an armor-piercing round into the shipgirl's moral. Her excitement turned into sadness right away as she stared at a cabinet full of ingredients. Shikikan should have known that Roon was unable to cook due to her nature. She knew roughly how food was made but never actually cooked it herself. Stepping behind her, he rested one of his hands on her shoulder for comfort.

"I'm sure Belfast wouldn't mind teaching you but I think I can give you a crash course,"

Roon's eyes sparkled at the idea before the Admiral began his little lesson. What should have been no more than a half hour of preparation turned into hours of explanation and demonstration. At times, he had to physically demonstrate by grabbing her arms or her hands so she could get the idea. Of course, Roon ended up blushing madly with a lovestruck look on her face or an embarrassed look. Thankfully, they at least made themselves a steak lunch/dinner that wasn't horrible, but it wasn't the greatest.

"Herr Admiral?" Roon looked up from her plate of food to find the officer taking his time with his meal

"Hm?" he looked up with a peaked interest

Roon's face grew rosy in color while looking away shyly, "Thank you,"

"Anytime," Shikikan smiled before resuming their lunch

* * *

It was nighttime when the Admiral found himself back to a completed musical stage with all sorts of equipment meant for a performance. He had dressed into his new uniform for his rank, finding it much more appealing to wear than his previous one. Roon had a few errands to run but she would join him later on. Hopefully her 'errands' weren't terrifying the rest of the shipgirls into submission so she could have him to herself. The only shipgirls that would brush off her intimidation were some of the battleships.

He then noticed a wide assortment of cameras facing the stage connected to a series of computers with Long Island manning them. Of course she would be the one shipgirl to handle all the technology, thanks to her being an introvert gamer. At one point, Shikikan swore she hung out with Ayanami at one point but it was out of the blue. At least she wouldn't be bothered by the large crowd of shipgirls that were coming.

"Everything going well?" he asked Long Island as he took a seat to watch the US Light Carrier work her magic

She didn't respond, typing away at the keyboard for several minutes before pressing the enter key. All the cameras had a red light glow to signal their readiness to record the entire event, "Just making sure it's all good."

A few more keys pressed made the stage light up brightly while the surrounding area darkened. It looked like something straight out of the TV had been built onto their little island. The Admiral really hoped they could break even with this or make extra for future endeavors. The computer screen was showing multiple windows of multiple angles from the cameras' point of view. Long Island even went as far as to set up a live stream of sorts, which the Admiral knew very little about how to work it.

"Now it's all good," Long Island said with a small smile on her face

"Thanks for the help, Long Island. I really owe you for helping me out with all this. High Command never taught me how to work with all this new technology," the Admiral admitted, feeling like an old man despite his age in the mid-twenties

"You can repay that by letting me have the week off," the short light carrier replied instantly

Shikikan just nodded when he noticed a large amount of the shipgirls began to converge on their position. Some looked to be a part of the idol competition while the others were dressed normally and took their seats. Thank goodness he didn't have to do the announcing or put up a score for each individual act. All he had to do was just observe and pray that the global audience would donate enough money to break even.

His attention was taken away when he saw a brief amount of smoke cover up the stage. He could make out a single silhouette within the smoke as it flowed towards the audience. Some of the shipgirls covered themselves when they felt the smoke have a cold touch. The smoke began to dissipate when the sounds of metal clanging were heard with a violin playing something low. To be honest, the clangs of the metal sound like a ship was being constructed based off the sound. Then the sounds of humming were heard, one female voice but accompanied by the sounds around it.

"_Cold, the air and water flowing. Hard, the land we call our home. Push, to keep the dark from coming. Feel the weight of what we owe~"_

The voice was beautiful in its own right and with the smoke dispersing, the audience got to see that it was Avrora. The only Russian based ship to ever come to the base. Her accent wasn't as noticeable as she sang. She had picked a good way to enter considering where she hailed from. Russia's tundras and freezing winters were not very likable to the average foreigner.

"_This, the song of sons and daughters. Hide, the heart of who we are. Making peace to build our future, strong united, working till we fall~"_

The Admiral wasn't well versed in Avrora's homeland, but he heard reports that they had a bloody civil war at one point that brought the nation to chaos. Revolutionaries had won out and their new form of government didn't seem much better than their first. Avrora's song seemed to perfectly give an image of what her people go through on a daily basis. Every day just working endlessly for no benefit for themselves but to hopefully build a life for their future generations.

"_And we all lift, and we're all adrift. Together, together. Through the cold mist, 'til we're lifeless. Together, together~"_

The music played for a few more seconds before fading out slowly with just the clanging metal being heard in the background. Shikikan looked towards the monitor to see that there were a lot of people watching the performance all over the world but money was hardly acquired. The audience gave a cheer, clapping for their sister in arms as she made her way off stage for the next performer.

Not surprisingly, a very excited San Diego jumped on stage with her signature wink. However, the music didn't play as there were suddenly more bodies heading up on stage. Those bodies being multiple copies of San Diego which left the Admiral flabbergasted

"Who let all those San Diegos join?!" he exclaimed in shock as the stage was filled with nothing but the red headed shipgirl

Long Island gave him a blank stare which only made the Admiral facepalm with how stupid he made the rules. He should have converted all those San Diegos into scrap or enhancing the other girls instead of letting them sit around doing nothing. Wait...there was a better idea.

Anyway, the horde of San Diegos performed their signature song where all the lights were flashing every single color imaginable. At one point, Shikikan felt like he went blind after he got struck by several of the lights and the chat seemed to go wild.

"It appears we just raised half our amount," Long Island noted as she saw their donations instantly rose as the song progressed

"Wait? Really?!"

The light carrier gave a nod before all the San Diegos ran off stage leaving a stunned crowd in their wake. It wasn't everyday you saw such a mass of the same shipgirl somehow in existence. The curtain fell down to hide the next performer with the lights turning back to normal.

It went like this for the past hour with performer after performer. The notable ones had to be Lexington and Saratoga thanks to their prior experience in being idols. They no doubt were direct competition to San Diego since they all inspired to be stand alone idols after the war. Although, if the Admiral was honest, he couldn't deny that the little Sakura Destroyer girls were probably the best due to their cuteness factor disguising all their mistakes in their song. That, and a very happy Ark Royal brought her own recording device to capture the moment.

Taking a look at how they were doing with raising the funds, Long Island noticed they had at least hit their goal to break even with the renovation costs. Now, it would be a good thing to hit higher since the extra funds could go into better equipment or constructing new shipgirls. He didn't have all of them, just a good majority of the currently created girls that lived.

"So, who's next on the list?" Shikikan finally broke away from his thoughts before turning to Long Island

"Hm? Oh, just some group called Polaris. Quite catchy, reminds me of a exotic weapon in a looter shooter I play from time to ti-" Long Island answered before she began to begin talking an endless information dump

"_What the hell is she even talking about?"_

The curtain came up with five shipgirls on stage in a different attire that confused the Admiral at first. It took a moment for him to recognize the faces on stage which caused him to become even more confused. On stage was Hipper, Akagi, Cleveland, Sheffield, and the new girl Gascogne. When did they ever form a band? More importantly, why was Gascogne given a microphone considering her monotone voice that she displayed.

Their outfits were similar to each other yet were unique in their own right. Especially with Akagi being shameless about how her chest was pronounced in her outfit. Oddly, her tails seemed to form a secondary skirt that reached almost to her feet instead of being their normal form. It honestly made her look appealing.

"Pervert," Long Island whispered as the Admiral found himself blushing profusely and bleeding through his nose

"Wha-? No! I'm not!" he denied immediately, wiping the blood away with a tissue

Long Island turned back to the monitor with a smirk on her face as the music began. The sight of girls in their Muse attire apparently was making the globe go wild with the coins racking up quickly. It looked like the numbers were accelerating faster than the eye could see. Whatever they were doing, it was clearly working a lot better than expected.

He felt something vibrate in his pocket before he pulled out his military work phone out. He walked away from the area to answer due to the music being too loud for him to hear who was on the other line.

"This is the Admiral speaking," he said simply

He heard the gruff voice of Martin on the other end, but this time he sounded a bit concerned, "Admiral, good thing you answered. We have a complication."

"Such as?" Shikikan's brows raised with both curiosity and dread

"You know I told you that there was no way for you to impregnate those girls, right?" Martin's tone became more concerned as he spoke

"Yes? Why?"

"That may not be entirely true. We were running some tests again and we found the Wisdom Cubes seem to choose when such a thing would happen. Although, it doesn't quite work like natural biology."

"Martin, I swear to whatever the hell you're going to, you have to be kidding me!" the Admiral growled with the news greatly troubling him

"Hey, don't kill the messenger. It's hard to say whether or not there is a pattern to this type of stuff. Wisdom Cubes are quite random so you could possibly get a girl pregnant at some point or not. Don't take my word on it though. Look at it this way, you can be the father of a new generation of shipg-" Martin's concern turned to optimism to try and alleviate the bombshell he dropped

Sadly, Shikikan was sweating bricks at this point, "Martin! We're at war still! I rather not have to deal with kids in a warzone!"

A nervous chuckled followed, "Ok, relax. Just keep yourself from going to far and you'll be fine. I'll see what I can do to find a sure solution. You got the resources, I'm sure you can figure something out."

The Admiral was silent while his thoughts tried to think of something. Considering a few shipgirls would definitely want to get into his pants, he needed a way to prevent the horrible. Wait...Akashi always has a way of figuring this stuff out.

"Martin, I think I'll be fine. Next time, call me when you don't have bad news," the officer sighed in relief

"Good to hear, I'll give you word if I got good news. Keep yourself safe, Admiral."

The connection was severed with Shikikan putting the device into his pocket. Looking back at the performance going on, he watched as the shipgirls, both performers and viewers, were enjoying themselves. As much as he was terrified at the prospect of having a kid in a situation like this, he was a bit happy to see all these girls enjoying themselves. Now, time to visit a little green haired repair ship to figure out his dilemma before he made the same mistake.

Arriving back at his room around midnight, the Admiral was taking off his attire to change into more comfortable clothes. He hadn't put on his lights since he was too sleepy and he didn't want to go through bright lights all over again. Akashi, by God's grace, seemed to have the perfect item in case something ever got too steamy in the boiler room. She had a steep price, but it would be a worthwhile investment.

What was that item? A modified Wisdom Cube small enough to fit in the officer's pockets for carrying purposes. How Akashi knew to program and modify said cube? No one truly knows with that girl.

"Shikikan~"

His nerves tensed up while he was removing his shirt. His pants were off and neatly put away along with his shoes being stored in a box. He was just left with his boxers and his socks. Turning slowly to the voice that beckoned him in the pure darkness, he saw a glint of red light in the direction of his bed. Said glint was the eyes of Akagi no doubt.

"You didn't stay for my performance…" she purposely sounded disappointed yet seductive, her fiery magic lighting up the room, "...now you must face judgement."

Shikikan didn't even want to ask what sort of plans she had for him. That was, until he noticed several cameras were in the room recording everything.

"You don't care if the others watch, do you? Hehehe,~"

* * *

**So yeah, that happened. Let's see how this comes back to bite the Admiral in the ass.**

**Next Chapter: Croissants vs Pasta, I really don't know which sort of carbs is even better **


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Welcome to the Thanksgiving-themed chapter I have constructed. I hope you all enjoy it.**

The Admiral found himself at his desk once more after the events of last night. He was in no mood to discuss what happened between him and Akagi at that moment. The determined kitsune had successfully done a home run with him while having the whole event recorded. It took a call to High Command to have the video off the air and deleted permanently. Some people had to have seen it but at least the whole world didn't watch it.

Shikikan currently rested on top of the wooden desk's cool surface to reduce his blush. Even though he was not very happy with Akagi had done, he wasn't against it either. In fact, he kind of enjoyed what had occurred more than he hated it. A weird way to feel considering that it was a nonconsensual romp. Yet, in a strange way, it was somewhat relieving to have it happen than to fear it occurring later.

"Master,"

Shikikan raised his head to find Gascogne sitting across from him with her blank amber eyes staring at him, "What is it, Gascogne?"

"Report...Several items of great importance. The first being a request sent from Baltimore…" the monotone voice came out of the Prototype Battleship

The Admiral looked interested when the name was mentioned, "What kind of request?"

Without missing a beat Gascogne replied, "Baltimore requests a date at Master's convenience."

Oh, so somebody from the Eagle Union was finally throwing themselves into the ring. The officer counted at least three Ironblood (four if Roon was counted), and three Sakura shipgirls already tying the knot with him. Although, the Sakura took the lead in putting the Admiral to the bed ever since the protocols were changed and the fear of pregnancy was squashed. Out of the Royal Navy, only Hood was on the man's mind but none of the Eagle Union seemed to be. Hornet couldn't even be considered someone he had romantic feelings for due to her friendly nature.

"Good to know, what else?" he finally spoke after he settled his thoughts

Gascogne continued, "Report...High Command has requested Master test some experimental gear that was shipped to allied fleet."

"Experimental gear? Like what?"

"Unknown. All written accounts were blotched with black ink."

Shikikan just nodded but couldn't shake the feeling that something was off with the news of a shipment of prototype gear. It wasn't the fact it was experimental, but that all forms of information were either classified or inked out. What were they sending him that he didn't need to know the details until he got it? Was it Siren tech that they happened to reverse engineer with help from some former Ironblood scientists? He knew that was extremely risky considering the brainwashing the Sirens could easily do on others.

"Informing...The Thanksgiving feast is scheduled for today with each faction bringing their own on the holiday," Gascogne mentioned, tilting her head to the side, "Question...Does Master celebrate such a holiday?"

Shikikan gave a nod, "Yes, it's a tradition. Well, more of a North American tradition but I'm glad to hear that everyone is going to celebrate it in their own way. Although, last year's celebration did not go as well."

The Vichya Battleship's head was still tilted, "Last year's celebration?"

"It went a little like this…"

_The Commander was busy in the mess hall looking over preparations of the Thanksgiving feast. At the time, he had only shipgirls from the four main factions with neither the Iris (besides St. Louis) or Sardegna Empire having joined him. He had a long list of objectives that needed to be completed right away with little room for error or rest. He ditched his uniform and dressed in civilian clothes for this occasion. A sight that none of the girls expected but were quite liked to see their superior out of the usual._

* * *

"_Drinks, check. Seating arrangements for everyone? Check. Turkey…" _

_He looked over to see everyone crowded around a massive turkey roughly weighing around twenty pounds. It wasn't cheap and he doubted one of those would satisfy the wide assortment of shipgirls. So, he had to get multiple of them which costed them a good amount due to rationing making such birds hard to obtain. Something about feeding the men on the front lines although all the fighting was on sea and hardly on land. Still, rationing did not help the Commander in obtaining such meat for the feast._

_"As Queen, I will have the first taste," he heard Queen Elizabeth said, looking over to see the dwarf queen about to cut one of the turkeys with a knife_

_She was met with her cheeks suddenly being pulled by the officer, "Not until everyone arrives with their own food to share."_

_"Unhand me servant! I must do the honors!" the boisterous shipgirl retorted but only got her cheeks pulled more in retaliation_

_It was then that Shikikan looked around to be sure none of the other turkeys were being touched. His eyes widened when he saw one of the tables was not with their turkey and a little shipgirl running off with it. Said shipgirl having pale hair with dog-like ears on top and pinkish-red eyes. She wore very little clothing besides a shirt barely reaching past her chest, a skirt, socks and shoes._

_"YUUDACHI! NO!"_

* * *

Gascogne nodded along as the Admiral told the horrible time he had to organize a Thanksgiving feast with the shipgirls he had at the time. This year's feast was going to be worse considering his roster had expanded quite a bit. The factions should be able to handle themselves but keeping shipgirls like Yuudachi or Queen Elizabeth from impatiently starting the feast was going to be a handful.

"Anything else to report?"

The toneless shipgirl looked at the papers in her hands, shuffling them momentarily before continuing, "Reporting...Marriages must be set for those who have been promised. Analysis...tactical effectiveness increased with promise ring."

The Admiral sweatdropped, "You don't have to talk like that. Just speak normally like everyone else."

"Affirmative...resetting basic speak pattern to Master's liking."

Gascogne's antenna twitched for a few moments with her eyes glowing. She stayed unmoving with her stare directed at the man in front of her. Nothing gave the officer any clue as to what she was going through right now. Unlike Roon, Gascogne lacked any emotion for him to fear.

He broke from those thoughts and got back to business, "Anything else?"

"Affirmative, Battleship Littorio and Battleship Jean Beart are currently dueling in the ocean," Gascogne informed

The Admiral got out of his chair and proceeded to head over to the docks to go inspect the battle for himself. What got those two to start firing at each other on a holiday they should be focusing on? Then again, Littorio was always an outspoken type that felt the world revolved around her while Jean did not like bullshit. It wouldn't surprise Shikikan if Jean challenged the Italian Battleship to a duel to make her eat her words.

He stopped to give the Prototype Battleship a pat on the head before heading out the door, "Thanks for the report, Gascogne. Just make sure we aren't overflowing in paperwork."

Gascogne watched her superior leave the office building while one of her hands went towards where he had patted. Her eyes scrunched up to analyze both what and why he had done so. She didn't let her thoughts linger on it for too long before she turned back to the paperwork at hand.

* * *

When he arrived at the docks, he already saw pillars of water erupt from a distance. Barely making the figures of the two shipgirls duking it out, the officer took out a set of binoculars to enhance his view. Thanks to the gear, both women were visible with damage to their rigging but unwavering smirks towards one another.

"They've been at this for an hour," Shikikan heard a voice beside him, lowering his binoculars to see Cesare watching the fight calmly

She had her vessel docked next to her in case she had to go out and break up the fight. It easily towered over both of them and it always fascinated the Admiral that it would disintegrate into rigging upon her command. Such mysteries of the Wisdom Cubes was still being researched with hardly any progress being made.

"What caused them to engage their rigging and fire on one another?" he questioned back, turning his attention

The other Italian shipgirl gave a sigh while watching her comrade avoid several shells from her French opponent, "She couldn't keep her mouth shut."

He gave her a questioning look to inquire what she meant exactly. It was only then that he turned back to the battle to see Littorio unleash her barrage of shells. Jean's side of the ocean was erupted in explosions and pillars of water shooting into the air. Although the barrage was very inaccurate, Littorio was clearly going for area coverage. From an amateur's point of view, it looked like Littorio was clearly the victor from all this.

But as soon as the barrage stopped, Jean Bart retaliated with a barrage of her own. One of her shells landing squarely on Littorio's main gun. The explosion alone disabled the gun from firing and the impact was definitely going to hurt. Looked like history repeated itself once more.

"Well, looks like we have a winner. Now, what caused these two to fight?" the Admiral questioned, putting his binoculars down and looking to Cesare for an explanation

The Sardegna Battleship explained, "While the major factions have their own facilities, we have to share with the Iris Libre and Vichya Dominion. Dunkerque was planning to make the desserts for tonight but Trento accidently spilled the contents when she assisted her. Littorio was the victim of the spilled treats and one thing led to another."

"Let me guess, she yelled at Dunkerque and Jean joined the fray?" Shikikan finished

"Yes,"

He gave nod of confirmation while the two duelists made their way back to the docks. Littorio looked visibly upset about her loss with Jean keeping her frown. At least neither was going to brag about the match at all now. He really didn't want either of his shipgirls to be going for a second round for some ridiculous reason.

"Are you two done now?" he questioned, his posture becoming more professional and intimidating

Shikikan had to put an external appearance like so with shipgirls like Littorio and Jean. It almost made him sound like an old father with the tone he had to put up. Then again, he had multiple Sakura destroyers who viewed him as an elder or Unicorn that decided to call him her Papa. It was better than Onii-chan at least.

Littorio was the first to speak, "Our duel has concluded. I must apologize for my rude behavior. It was not right of me to have spoken harshly to your ally."

"Sure, next time I won't be as courteous for you to shoot first," Jean Bart replied, her tone a bit harsh but considering how she behaved on a normal day, this was her usual

The duo walked past the Admiral and Cesare back to their shared kitchen. The officer let his posture go slack when they were far away enough they wouldn't see him. He would need to go with them just to be sure they wouldn't cause another duel. But could he blame them when Trento was a bit of a clutz? The girl couldn't tell the difference of salt and sugar to the point she added the wrong one to her tea.

Then a thought came to Shikikan's attention, fishing something out of his pocket, "Oh, before I forget, I actually was able to twist some events around to get these for next week."

Cesare turned to the officer to find a couple of tickets presented in front her, "You...didn't have to do this."

To her dismay, he replied, "No, I insist. Not every day a storm ruins the perfect night to go see an opera. I really want to see one, so I was able to get these tickets."

Thankfully she had enough self-control to push down a rising blush to not embarrass herself further, "Well, thank you. I'll make sure to be ready next week."

Cesare took one of the tickets and put it in the same pocket where her pocket watch was located. Shikikan She didn't have much time to see what her Admiral was up to before she felt her hand being grabbed and being pulled along. This time, her blush revealed itself as Shikikan pulled her along back to the shared culinary area.

_"Damn you Admiral," _

* * *

Shikikan and Cesare arrived to a large kitchen that seemed small due to the amount of shipgirls currently working around the place. Upon entry, his senses were assaulted with the smell of sugar and starch. He could get a faint whiff of flour in there as well with the atmosphere feeling quite warm.

"_Ammiraglio, _what brings you here?" he heard the young voice of Carabiniere, the Italian Destroyer out of uniform and in her more casual attire covered up by an apron

Her question got the other girls of the Iris, Vichya, and Sardegna looking towards him in confusion. They had no expected him to be in the kitchen when they were hard at work preparing food for the feast. Food for the hundreds of shipgirls that would be attending although they doubted all of them would like their preferred culinary. Even so, the shipgirls around the Admiral weren't against him being here either. He had fooled around with the major factions for the most part, denying them any attention besides the occasional visit.

Shikikan simply replied by taking off his white uniform to reveal a gray undershirt before he took one of the leftover aprons and put it on, "You won't mind if I help you all a little?"

He didn't get any answer nor did any of the girls try to push him out. On the contrary, he found himself thrusted into the hands of the French first before the Italians dragged him back. Funny enough, most of the shipgirls were smaller than Shikikan due to them being Destroyers but they still had the strength to carry him around like a toy. He really needed to review over why these women could probably beat him in an arm-wrestling competition without giving an ounce of their strength.

"_Amiral," _he heard Dunkerque say, "try one of my macarons. I just made them a few minutes ago and I want your input."

Shikikan was presented with a wide assortment of the bite sized dessert with so many colors in the bunch. Taking one of them at random, he tossed the treat into his mouth before his taste buds practically exploded. It felt like a barrage of flavor attacking every nerve in an endless assault to overwhelm him. It felt like a state of nirvana with how his taste buds basically overloaded in ecstasy.

"It's very good. Probably the best you've made so far, Dunkerque," the Admiral said honestly, wanting to take another macaron but he knew there would be plenty of food

His eyes then noticed some movement in the back, spotting Trento trying to carry over a pot filled with pasta. Instinct took over as the officer went over to be sure the clumsy shipgirl didn't drop it or put it in the wrong place. His instincts were proven right when she suddenly lost her footing due to spilled flower on the floor. Thankfully, all he had to do was simply get a grip around her waist and brace himself for the combined weight.

"T-Thank you, _Amiral," _Trento said with gratefulness, placing the pot safely on the counter

Shikikan gave a nod but he felt the atmosphere around him go a bit cold. Turning around, he spotted the jealous looks of Trento's comrades. Thankfully, the Iris and Vichya were mostly made up of Destroyers, giving some breathing room for the only male on the island. If Shikikan had it his way at the beginning of his career, he would have asked for a position somewhere else. The shipgirls' competition for his affection was getting a bit old and a bit tiresome.

"_Amiral, _have a taste of this. I made it myself," the Admiral turned towards Zara who held a tiny plate with a block-like dessert

He didn't question what it was at the very moment, instead, taking a fork and taking a piece. His tongue was immediately greeted with a salvo of flavors like cocoa, coffee, and cheese. A pleased look washed over him with his body unconsciously getting another piece. However, the piece was not there which made the officer look confused until he noticed the entire dessert gone. Looking to his left, he found the sleepy Le Malin having eaten the entire thing.

Shikikan would have been annoyed if it weren't for Malin's sleepy look being so adorable. Even in the peaceful place like this island base, Malin seemed to always be exhausted for some reason. Maybe she was training with her comrades in war exercises.

Shikikan's thoughts were broken when he saw the door open from the corner of his eye. Gascogne entered the kitchen having done all the paperwork for the day, her poker face still plastered. Following shortly after her was Roon, the yandere shipgirl stopping as she saw the Admiral with the other shipgirls.

"..." her silence was followed with her rigging being summoned with all guns pointed towards Shikikan, "Any last words?"

"Uh... Is it too late to s-"

The sounds of Roon's main guns could be heard with the officer running out of the kitchen. The regular human male running for his dear life with a vengeful Ironblood hot on his heels. Even with the days he had spent with her, that yandere side still never went away.

* * *

Shikikan looked over the mess hall, the entire area transformed to seat as many of the shipgirls as possible. Tables had been arranged both in the interior and exterior to accommodate such a vast number. Like last year, he had to be sure Yuudachi stayed away from all the food until it was ready to be served. Although, he reduced the number of turkeys this year since Zuikaku was not a fan of the poultry. Something about a losing all of her fighters in a botched attempt to push back an American assault.

After the scary being known as Roon, he had changed into more civilian clothes for the occasion. He kept a gray undershirt with a pair of jeans, but he wore a thick black coat over it and a red scarf. It was fall, moving onto winter, so the weather was quite cool on the base. However, the cool wind did little to hamper the general happiness warming his heart for celebrations like this. But, the only item on his list that he preferred to avoid was to give a speech before the meal.

He really hated speeches. Shikikan didn't feel it motivated people enough to warrant their necessity. They took too long to get to the point, and they were a nerve wrack to come up with. He wasn't some gifted speaker like Mikasa or some of the other elder shipgirls. If he ever made a speech, he made it quick and to the point. Although, he could see the usefulness of them when it came to dates.

Speaking of dates, Gascogne was kind enough to fix up the Admiral's schedule so he could manage his very complicated love life much easier. Next week would be a week full of dates and testing some new equipment. High Command was going to reduce the paperwork since the next holiday was next month.

Thank goodness.

"Admiral, are you coming to eat with us?"

The officer was so deep in his thoughts that time flew faster than expected. He blinked to realize that the shipgirls had begun gathering food on plates to enjoy for the evening. They didn't wait for him to make some boring speech about how proud he was to work with all of them. Enemies having become good friends and even the deepest of rivalries having been quenched in friendship. Sure, they all had their problems with each other from past circumstances, but they put it behind them for a peaceful future.

Shikikan blinked again to see Enterprise waiting for him at the entrance to the mess hall. She must have been the voice to break him out. At this rate, he might as well be Tirpitz with all the thinking he had been doing. He shook his head to get himself fully back into reality and walked towards the entrance.

"Yeah, I'm coming. Don't expect me to give a rousing speech again," he said as he walked towards the station of food to get his large plate and enjoy a night of merriment

Besides, he had dates to look forward to in a week. Let's just hope they don't go south on him.

* * *

**Alright, here is my Thanksgiving chapter with some shipgirls from our favorite French and Italian factions. I was attempting to go a bit longer, but I wanted something for this festive holiday. So, I hope I entertained all of you. Have a happy Thanksgiving, even if you don't celebrate it, and have a good night.**

**Next Chapter: A Date with Baltimore**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Alright, time to get to the string of chapters where the Admiral is going on dates with some of the shipgirls that possibly, or possibly not, could be in his harem or are already in said harem.**

**Oh, btw, Baltimore's appearance in the chap is based off a piece of fanart I found so credit to the artist.**

* * *

Waking from a restful night of sleep, which he needed after that whole incident on Thanksgiving with Roon, the Admiral let out a yawn. The first sight he got was his bland ceiling with the ceiling fan swirling waves of air around the room. There was a sizzling sound coming from the kitchen before Shikikan got a whiff of what was cooking. He definitely smelled something being cooked with how his nose wanted to pull the rest of his body towards the source.

"Ah, Herr Admiral, you're awake," his ears picked up on Roon's voice

Shikikan rose from his bed, reaching towards the ceiling with his arms to remove the laziness within his muscles. A yawn escaped as he stretched before swinging his legs around to get away from laying down. A cup of hot coffee was awaiting him on the nightstand with a piece of, surprisingly not burnt, toast.

"I see that you've been practicing," Shikikan said, grabbing the coffee and taking a large gulp of it to knock the remnants of sleepiness out

Roon's response was filled with glee, "I've had a little help for the past week."

The Admiral wanted to ask who was giving the Ironblood some lessons in cooking but he assumed that her fellow comrades gave her some assistance. That or maybe one of the Royal maids might have had a hand in the assistance themselves. It was a good outcome no matter who really assisted Roon in the end.

While awaiting the food to be finished, the Admiral went over to his closet to get himself ready for today's date. Normally, he would have been embarrassed to have a girl in the same room while he was changing. But, he had spent so much time around the shipgirls that he wasn't as uncomfortable when one of them was in the room. It would only be if they were checking him out while he was changing that Shikikan had a problem with.

When he had finished getting changed, Roon had already served him a plate of food that looked almost like he took a trip to the buffet. He spotted scrambled eggs, black forest ham, salami, cheese, more toast, and some butter. Whoever was teaching Roon, when it wasn't Shikikan himself, really taught her well.

Roon had her hands clasped in front of her while looking away with a faint blush, "Tell me how it is."

"Will do," Shikikan replied while taking a seat on the couch

Taking a spoon, he took a bite of everything before the Admiral raised his eyebrows in surprise. Roon observed him his face on every slight change in his movement to determine his review.

"It's good. It needs improvement but pretty good for a week of practice," his voice made Roon's heart soar up in happiness

So much happiness that she was radiating it like the Sun. For a moment, the Admiral could only imagine how different Roon might have been after she was built if she was filled with more positive emotions. Not that she couldn't have them, but considering what the Ironblood revealed earlier, Shikikan was a bit worried about her emotional stability. Thank goodness that she was changing for the better. Slowly, but at least it was progressing with a more happy Prototype Cruiser that wasn't trying to murder her rivals.

Before he could realize what was going to happen next, the officer soon found himself being tackled onto the sofa. His plate of food spilled onto the floor, only being partially eaten leaving the rest to be wasted. Shikikan wasn't able to question what Roon was up to until he saw her snuggling his body tightly. Not anything lewd, just an adorable snuggle with the shipgirl rubbing her head on his chest.

This got Shikikan to become a bit embarrassed, "Roon? Can you please get off me? I got stuff to do."

"Sorry, I'm….." the Ironblood obeyed, fiddling with her hands like a shy schoolgirl, "I never got so much praise."

Even though the food was now wasted, Shikikan couldn't bring himself to get mad at the shipgirl in front of him, "Ok, just let me finish my food next time."

Roon could only giggle as she went to fetch another plate for her officer. A thought came to the Admiral's mind as he finished his cup of coffee; Would the Priority ships be considered a separate faction or part of their national factions? Something in his brain was beginning to plan for the worst. At least the date with Baltimore couldn't be bad.

* * *

Shikikan looked out into the sea as he stood on the docks. The wind was calmer this time around with the sun being a bit warmer than usual. Not enough for him to start sweating, but enough for him to not wear his uniform. Instead, it was replaced with a simple black shirt, jeans, and sneakers. He looked like the average civilian on their day off. Quite a difference from the usual although he had more casual clothes worn just a week ago during the feast.

Checking the time with his watch, the Admiral noted that it was time to head into town. He had a date to attend to and being late was the worst mistake he could make. His first date to start off the week.

Baltimore. One of the tomboys within his fleet although she stood out amongst the others. No, it was not just because she was relatively more 'gifted' than her compatriots. It was a simple difference in Baltimore wanting to be a bit more girly rather than the Admiral treating her more like a woman. A strange case but not too unfamiliar. Well, unless someone was to account for her passion for seeking 'justice'.

Walking down the road that led him towards the town, Shikikan made sure he looked presentable for his date. The walk into town didn't take him long before he was strolling through the main street of the area. Passing by a clothing store, the Admiral wondered if he should get a new set of clothes. Then again, Zara had done his shopping ever since she joined his fleet. The girls needed to not make him feel so useless when it came to doing his basic chores outside the office.

Shikikan would have continued thinking on such thoughts if he didn't get the sight of someone waiting next to a cafe. At first glance, he didn't recognize the person being his date until he spotted her short brown hair. This was not what the Admiral was expecting when he got closer to get a better view.

Baltimore was not in her usual attire, which was quite revealing, but changed into something more akin to a first date attire. She wore a long-sleeved blue shirt that left her shoulders bare coupled with a white skirt that had purple leaves all over. A black thin belt wrapped around her skirt located around her stomach finished with a black choker. Finally, she had a light blue purse that must have held some small items she brought along.

She must have recently arrived considering the Admiral was still on time. Baltimore took a look at a small wristwatch anxiously while fiddling with her hair with the other hand. Slowing down his pace, Shikikan gave the normally confident shipgirl time to spot him before he accidentally spooked her. He didn't know what to expect with how anxious she looked. Thankfully, Baltimore looked towards his direction to spot him before he got too close.

She ceased the movements of her short hair while fighting down her anxiety, "Admiral, glad you got here on time. I was beginning to think you overslept or one of the other girls kept you busy."

Shikikan shrugged in response, "Well, I got my schedule in order so I have no excuse to be late."

"Right, um, so should we go ahead and start this...date?" Baltimore looked hesitant as she traced over the word

The officer could only give her a small smile before he took the initiative by hooking his right arm with her left. Baltimore was taken by surprise that her superior officer would be so straightforward with his approach. Then again, they were on a date so she shouldn't let something as simple as physical touch get the best of her. That still didn't ease her tension as she found herself unable to look at Shikikan.

As the two walked awkwardly hooked together, a few heads poked out from behind a building. Three maids of the Royal Navy watching the couple walk off with analytical eyes. Edinburgh, Glasgow, and every neutral Sheffield. Sheffield placed one of her fingers near her ear where a small device sat comfortably.

"The date has begun, what are Your Majesty's orders?"

* * *

The town on the naval base wasn't anything special considering everyone had visited the place many times in the past couple of years. Yet, it was always good to visit for many reasons, some including to see what new wares were allowed on base. If it wasn't immediately taken by Akashi to be sold at ridiculous prices, there was always something new to find. Whether it would be something simple as clothing or something more complicated such as a gift. The shop had it at some point.

Seeing something catch her eye as they passed by, Baltimore tugged the Admiral lightly, "Let's go see what there is to buy."

"I didn't take you for a shopper unless you want me to buy you an Oxy-Cola," Shikikan mused, unintentionally causing the American Heavy Cruiser to blush heavily

"I-I'm not, but, that's what couples do on dates...right?" Baltimore replied a bit defensively although she didn't have the confidence to back it up

Shikikan would have responded to her that shopping was just a small thing couples occasionally did but he remembered that Baltimore was quite inexperienced. While other shipgirls had a better understanding of flirting and romantic relationships, Baltimore was not equipped for the task. Either it was the fact that she was trying too hard to appear girly when she clearly was a bit more boyish or she was dating the Admiral himself. He got the hint the very moment she wore something that was unlike her.

Whether it was her more dominant personality or her nervousness compelling her to get this embarrassing day over with, Baltimore brought the officer into the store. They were greeted with a wide variety of clothing with most of it being for females. There was a small section dedicated to the Admiral since he wasn't always going to wear the same clothes every day. However, that section was quite small in comparison to the rest.

It didn't take very long for Baltimore to pick out an item that she felt was a good gift for Shikikan. Taking a black fedora and placing it on his head without a word. She didn't even try to look at him as a heavy blush still entrenched itself on her face. The officer turned to a mirror to inspect how he looked with such a small thing, smiling at the result. It wasn't as good with his current attire but next time he went to a party or back to New York, he could wear this.

"Thanks, Baltimore, I didn't think you had a taste for fashion like Zara does," he complimented the American Heavy Cruiser, only adding fuel to the fire

"Y-your welcome, but...we still have to pay for it," Baltimore stuttered in her speech

The Admiral didn't say anything afterward as the duo made their way out of the shop and back into town. The gift was a nice addition to his more casual attire although he should have worn some sort of coat to complement it. He heard so many tales about the Italian gangsters that ruled New York for some years making the fedora iconic. Shikikan would have complimented Baltimore more or at least found something he would find cute for her, but he relented.

Stopping their walk that was directed towards the only mall on the island, a rather small one at that due to budget constraints, Shikikan then asked, "Is there anything you particularly want to do, Baltimore? I don't mind stuff like this but, it isn't you."

His question got the American heavy cruiser to lose some of her embarrassment as her eyes looked down to think a bit better. Her blush soon completely vanished with her eyes sparkling a bit, "I've always wanted to try the new Laser Tag game that High Command sent us."

The Admiral gave Baltimore a confused look, "Laser Tag? We're not shooting each other with those Siren guns are we?"

Her response was to shake her head with her calm smile returning finally, "No. They're harmless. It's a great game with two teams basically firing lasers at each other to hit specific parts of the body and score points. I would love to try that out."

As Baltimore explained the activity that had gotten quite a following back in America, Shikikan couldn't help but feel a bit hesitant to try it. Sure, it was harmless. But he couldn't help but let his face form a small frown as a certain memory came into his head. When Baltimore finished her explanation, Shikikan forced that frown away quickly.

"Why don't we go try it now?" he suggested finally despite his earlier feelings

The officer did not expect for his right hand to be grabbed before being pulled after the shipgirl. Thankfully, Baltimore didn't use too much strength that would throw him off his feet. Her confident smile was in full force as she led her date to the mall.

Appearing from some nearby signs, Edinburgh held a camera in her gloved hands before taking several of the couple, "The Admiral seems to prefer confident women that have a shy side to them."

Edinburgh's earpiece began to light up with a particular voice being received on the other end, _"Of course, the Admiral is a man who desires the best for his heart. I clearly have everything that he is looking for yet he does not give me such affections."_

Edinburgh sweatdropped, giggling nervously since she knew the one reason, "Perhaps he is attracted to women of...uh..greater bos-"

"_Yes of course! If I had the bosoms as those bloody Sakura Carriers then Shikikan would fawn over me in an instant. Continue to spy on him, I must know everything if I am to win his heart."_

Edinburgh let out a defeated sigh. She really didn't like that her Queen was dead set in 'winning' this race for the Admiral's love. It wasn't even a competition in the first place, just a compromise to keep everyone from going to war again. At least, when the Sirens weren't around to keep them occupied. But, as a Royal Maid, it was her duty to serve Elizabeth until her dying breath.

* * *

A short trip to the mall and the couple found themselves in a section dedicated to this Laser Tag game. The first thing the Admiral noted was the 'armor' that everyone had to wear. Breastplates that had lights on them connected to their laser guns that also had a series of lights. He figured that these were the hitboxes to score points on when firing at the opposing team. His breastplate and gun were lighting up in a blue.

"You better watch out, Admiral. A lot of us Eagle Union girls know how to make some impossible shots. We may not be Warspite with her godly aim, but that doesn't mean we can't hit something from comparable distances," Baltimore chuckled, throwing her little challenge towards the man as she wore a breastplate with red lights

He looked up at her with a smirk, "You forgot I had weapons training before I even joined the Navy and transferred over here. I know how to hit a target too."

"Only if it's paperwork,"

"_Alright Baltimore, you're on." _Shikikan thought, his previous hesitation evaporated with anticipation to prove this woman wrong replacing it

Some basic rules were given from the staff, which were obviously shipgirls who weren't on patrols. No hand to hand combat since this was meant to be fun, no physical contact with another player's weapon, keep your feet on the floor, and no conniving insults. A bit odd on that last rule but considering some of the tensions between factions, a necessary one. The prevention of using hand to hand combat was obvious since this was laser tag and not physical training. Keeping their feet on the floor was to prevent flips or other maneuvers that would be considered unfair.

As the Admiral was busy thinking on why the rules seemed to make sense in this current setting, the lights turned off with the colored lights illuminating the room. Two doors opened and the participants were led into separate areas of the main arena.

The arena was as dark as expected with a blue tint illuminating the area enough for one to see where they were going. Multiple structures were set up for both cover and to obstruct the view of the opposing side so they couldn't flat out snipe their competition.

"_Round begins in five seconds." _A monotone voice played over the area, no doubt using a speaker system so everyone heard

Shikikan felt his heart race a little with each passing second for the round to begin. His eyes blinked quickly to keep his vision sharp for the slightest red light he could find. His palms went a bit sweaty and his breathing became a bit heavier than normal.

"_Just a laser tag game, not an actual battle. Relax," _he told himself, trying to force his body to not act on survival instinct

The Admiral heard a sound go off before all the doors closed and his weapon came online. Alright, game time. This was now a competition of who had the better shot and who was the better soldier between him and Baltimore. Good thing this wasn't a melee competition because he wouldn't just lose, he would get manhandled-or would it be womanhandled?

Not even a few seconds in the lights on Shikikan's harness went out and made a power down noise. How did he even get hit when there were plenty of structures in the way? Looking around him, he noticed small metal plates placed randomly around the room.

"_She used those plates to change the direction of her shot...or she got lucky," _Shikikan thought, waiting for his equipment to power back up

Once his lights were on once more, he decided to pull a little experiment. He took aim at a few of the metal plates and fired several rounds at them. Waiting on hearing for additional noise, the Admiral crouched down to avoid the same fate from earlier. A few more test shots and he could faintly hear the power down noise from a distance. Smiling to himself with his small revenge, he began moving through the arena.

With gun held upwards and his feet walking cautiously, the officer was moving through the arena like he was a part of a squad. If there was one thing basic training taught him well was how to move through an area like this. Looking through every sightline and even above him to be sure Baltimore didn't get the drop on him.

The hairs on the back of his neck rose when a gut feeling told him to take cover. He pressed himself against a handmade barricade just as a laser soared right over him and missed. Shikikan took a couple of breaths to steady his body before he stood up and fired several rounds in the direction of where the last laser came from. One of his shots must have been lucky enough to hit something as he heard the sound once more.

Grinning confidently, Shikikan couldn't help but gloat, "You know, what do I get if I win? That's how these sort of dates go don't they?""

Baltimore's response came quickly, knocking out his lights as soon as her came back on, "That's if you win."

His grin never left his face as he found a new set of cover behind a small wall. This was already more fun than simply talking, shopping, or dancing with the other girls. It definitely beat being cooped up in that damn office of his.

Their little 'game' continued on for a couple of hours with the score constantly evening out and not allowing either to win outright. So, when the staff decided they spent enough time with the arena to themselves, the Admiral did the gentlemanly move and conceded defeat. Baltimore did land the first shot on him within a few seconds, something he couldn't deny but highly impressive.

Walking back towards the dorms with an Oxy-Cola in her hand, Baltimore was smiling a bit, "Ah~, the taste never gets old. Victory tastes so sweet when its well deserved."

"Hard to protest that when I'm against women that are stronger, faster, and better looking than I am. Although, I'm the only guy on this base so I'm not saying much," Shikikan replied honestly, a light smile on his face with how he faired decently against someone who was superior to him physically

"Well...I had fun," Baltimore said, stopping at the entrance to the dorms and turning to the Admiral, "I wasn't expecting dates to be this fun. You think we can do this again sometime?"

"Yeah, certainly. After I deal with other dates and important matters," He answered with a nod, not expecting what was happening next

Baltimore embraced the officer, stunning him for a couple of seconds before he returned the favor. After a few more seconds, Baltimore quickly let him go and walked inside the dorms to hide a blush on her face. The Admiral watched her leave until she was out of sight, turning towards the docks before making his way.

Looking towards the sea, he noticed an approaching ship. It was small compared to the various battleships on the docks so it had to be a supply boat. It must be those experimental gear that High Command was sending him. Quickly raising his pace, Shikikan began to jog back to the docks. He needed to go see a particular shipgirl about the shipment.

* * *

"Shikikan, what is it nya?"

Akashi was trying to inspect a black painted tech box that had arrived with the recent shipment. Shikikan held a keycard that came with the box, allowing him to open it if he so chose. This wasn't the first time he received such a box, but it was the first time he didn't know what was in it. High Command generally gave him the details on what was in the boxes but this time around, all he got was a vague notion. The experimental tech they told him.

"The only ones to see this will be you and me, right Akashi?" he said to the Neko

She gave him a nod as he presented the keycard to a small scanner on the box. A quick scan of the card and the tech box began unlocking itself. Upon the box opening, the Admiral was greeted with a small Wisdom Cube colored in a pure white. It looked highly modified and tampered by someone's hand since Wisdom Cubes never came like this.

As if on instinct, Shikikan performed the sign of the cross on himself as some form of good luck. A sensation washed over him the more he looked at this pure white Wisdom Cube, begging him to touch it. He heard stories from Enterprise with her encounter with a black mental cube but never something like this. Before he knew it, his hands reached out and touched the exterior.

His vision was suddenly assaulted with multiple scenes of a burning ocean and destroyed cities. The Admiral tried to wretch his hands free of the cube, but his hands would not respond. More scenes flooded his mind of the various shipgirls sinking into the depths of the ocean; a death so slow it was impossible to witness. When Shikikan felt like his mind would break after all this, the scenes stopped and he found himself on a small island.

"_Commander...We did it," _he heard a voice say, looking around him to figure out where it came from

The officer's eyes rested on a shipgirl that looked like Enterprise besides the absence of her bald eagle and her clothing looking darker. A black sash wrapped around her neck, slightly obscuring her mouth. Laying against a palm tree was a human covered head to toe in armor, something akin to those video games Long Island played. Upon closer inspection, Shikikan noticed a pool of blood under the human with a few holes in his armor.

"_No...You did it...Enterprise," _the human croaked with what little air he could muster, "_I...failed you...all of you."_

The alternate Enterprise kneeled down, resting her hands on the helmet before pushing it upwards to remove it. Shikikan had so many questions to what was going on, but he suddenly found himself on the floor of the warehouse before he could see the face under the helmet.

He blinked when his vision returned him back with a worried Akashi over him, "Admiral-sama, you're alright nya?"

Taking several moments to recollect his thoughts, Shikikan gave a nod as he slowly got up. He closed the box holding the white cube, locking it down and placing the keycard in his pocket. Akashi worriedly looked at him as he just stared at the locked container with a mixed expression.

"Akashi, keep this locked up until further notice. No one sees this and no one touches it without my permission," he ordered, getting a nod from Akashi right away despite her worries

Shikikan then turned, leaving the warehouse to return back to his bed. He had another date to attend to tomorrow. Before that, he was going to have a very long phone call with Martin.

* * *

**Hey guys! It's been a little bit, well, not really. I was hoping to get this chapter out sooner but I had been busy with irl stuff. So, I do want to make one announcement right here for my more explicit content. It's a very simple change I will have on Archive.**

**I will basically make fanfics of the Commander going on a 'Route' system with shipgirls of my choosing. As much as I like the harem antics and comedy, I prefer making couple based content. So with that said, I will be taking turns on updating this story and one of those fanfics. **

**Stay tuned~**


	12. Chapter 12

**Okay, let's not waste too much time and get right into the chap. I do want to announce I have begun my first story on Archive titled "Love Under Crane Wings" so check that out if you can. I should have the second chapter up for that in the following days**

* * *

"Martin, you better have details on what the hell High Command sent me," the voice of Shikikan filled his vacant room

His room had little light to it besides one small lamp on his desk. The outdoors were dark ever since his date with Baltimore ended. He had changed to his nightly attire so he could rest easy yet the discovery he had earlier defeated any possibility of sleep until he had answers. That was why he ranged his trust friend and mentor.

The old man on the other end of the phone sighed with exhaustion, probably due to his sleep schedule being much earlier than the younger admiral, "What did they send you? Not functional guns?"

Flames of anger rose within the young officer but he remained calm since he was dealing with a sleepy Martin, not awake one, "I got a Wisdom Cube...but not any ordinary one. A pure white one that contrasts the Mental Cube I got reports about when I first arrived here. Long story short, I touched the damn thing and I saw something."

"What did you see?" the sleepy tone of Martin faded and was replaced with curiosity

Shikikan felt his jaw tighten a bit, the air in his lungs escaping him momentarily, "I saw...everyone's death. Not just that...I think I saw Enterprise but...she didn't look like herself."

Silence was all that revealed itself when the Admiral dropped the news on his superior. Moments of silence passed while the young officer hoped his mentor had some sort of answer to what he was dealing with. The scenes of every single one of his shipgirls dying was plaguing his mind. He didn't want to believe them, finding it ludicrous that their fate was sealed when they defied all odds so far.

"Ah shit...they sent you that thing," Martin finally said with another sigh, "I told them we shouldn't mess with items such as those. Not since she came around."

"She?" Shikikan raised a brow

"The Enterprise you mentioned. My fleet had an encounter with her and thank God she didn't destroy us right then. We didn't fire on her but she was damaged, both physically and emotionally."

"Wait, you ran into that Enterprise? Is this the same one that Washington, Carolina, and Helena reported on a year ago?" Shikikan rose from his seat with astonishment, his fear replaced with curiosity and a small glimmer of sympathy

He heard Martin move to get into a more comfortable position, the sounds of the old admiral's bed squeaking with age, "Yeah. Same one. We were tracking some Siren signals when we ran right into her. It was a bloodbath, Siren bodies and ships everywhere. Mostly lesser ones, not the important ones like what you fought against."

Digging through the cabinet for the reports about this Dark Enterprise, Shikikan replied, "What happened next?"

"She was injured from fighting all that on her own, so we helped her out. She mentioned something about losing something dear to her like she dropped something. High Command instructed me to take her back to HQ until further notice. I haven't seen her since then."

Finding the files he was looking for, Shikikan took out the photos that were taken. As Martin explained what he remembered, Shikikan analyzed each photo to see the very same Enterprise he found in his visions. She was not the Enterprise that he knew, so that meant the man he saw bleeding to death had to be…

"Martin, did she ever mention a commander?"

A few moments of silence before the old man gave a gruff reply, "Yeah, said he died on their last stand. I interrogated her for as many details as I could get on where she came from but she was too badly injured and entered into a coma."

The Admiral nodded along, putting the few pieces he had together, "I think she's from another timeline where the Sirens almost exterminated humanity. I think what I saw was my own death in her timeline."

"Like some comic book timey wimey bullshit?" the old officer retorted in a slightly joking manner

"Well, I'm no scientist. I don't know what the eggheads would say to explain this but I do know this, she's not from our timeline. Is she still at HQ?" Shikikan said, wondering what else he could learn from the Wisdom Cube

"Yes, she hasn't moved from there. She's been on life support in case she ever wakes up," Martin answered, his voice filled with uncertainty in what Shikikan was thinking

"Send her to me. Before I hang up, where did you guys get this Wisdom Cube?"

"Oh yeah, that. One of those Siren gates opened up and that thing just dropped into the ocean near one of my patrol ships. They recovered it and the eggheads studied it day and night. Even with the best technology they had, they couldn't open a single secret. So if High Command sent it to you and it gave you those visions, then it's tied to you in some way," Martin explained, humming afterward in thought

Shikikan sat back into his seat, looking at the photos of the Alternate Enterprise in wonder, "Yeah, that's what I'm wondering now. Hopefully, that Enterprise wakes up soon so I can ask her what's up with it."

"If she wakes up, I'll send her your way. Don't think too much about whatever that cube is showing you. I know damn well you haven't let any of your girls get sunk so don't let it get to your head,"

He really wanted to be relieved by those encouraging words, but something wouldn't let him feel relief at that moment, "Thanks, Martin."

Shikikan ended the call while he grasped one of the photos and stared intently at this alternate Enterprise. A version of Enterprise that was broken with no one to support her and her only goal was to destroy her enemies. A version of Enterprise that almost repeated itself in this timeline from what he read about.

A yawn escaped the Admiral's lips with sleep finally seeping into his body, forcing him to make his way towards his bed. Another day awaited him with another date being the main event. His mind was too tired to think about who his date was going to be tomorrow. Instead, he surrendered to sleep's embrace to rest for another battle.

* * *

Another morning, another breakfast inside his own room thanks to the efforts of Belfast. Shikikan looked over any small errands he had to do before the rest of his day was free for his date. One such errand was figuring out who was his date and Gascogne did a good job to make his week full of variety.

"I wonder how the weather is today," Shikikan muttered out loud, opening one of his windows to get an idea

Due to the light outside, he assumed it would be nice and warm but once he opened the glass windows, a great chill flooded the room. On reflex, the Admiral closed the windows and wrapped his arms around his body to get rid of the chill. Looking outside, he noticed that it had snowed overnight and there were at least a few inches covering the ground. It was odd considering yesterday was simply cool and not chilly.

"I must have not paid attention to the weather forecast,"

Shikikan then proceeded to change into warmer clothes for a much colder day. It was too early to begin his date so, for now, he would observe exercises for a small time. Afterward, he could check with Shiranui to see how the ammunition supplies were, but with little encounters with the enemy, they had stocked up so much ammunition. Maybe he should visit Akashi and see what she was up to.

Then his thoughts went back to the white cube from last night. All the reports about this Alternate Enterprise and how she was in a coma back at HQ. Shikikan needed some answers but if that version of Enterprise was unable to answer them, then the cube just might provide. It wasn't from here as Martin hinted, so where did it come from and why did it show the Admiral those scenes? Was it a prediction of events to come? A warning or was it a recording of events taking place in another world?

If his hypothesis was correct, judging off the visions alone, it had to be a record of what happened in another timeline. Humanity had won...but at what cost? Still, many questions and curiosities remained to be discovered. Grabbing the keycard and stuffing it into his pocket, Shikikan left the office building and proceeded to the shopping center.

His trip towards his destination was greeted with snow falling from the clouds above, reinforcing the snow that had already settled. The simple act of breathing produced a small yet visible cloud that quickly dissipated. Every footstep created a small crater in the shape of the boots he wore followed with the crunching sound of ice. Around him the trees were covered in snow, looking like mini-mountains with their leaves hiding in the white ice.

Arriving at Akashi's shop, Shikikan noticed it was still closed even though Akashi was one to open early in the morning. Maybe she went to enjoy the snow with the other shipgirls while it lasted. Reaching into one of his pockets, he produced a key and went to the side of the building to unlock a door and enter the storage area.

Shikikan was greeted with darkness save for the faint light of the cube lying inside its black container. The officer walking up to the container unlocked it and looked at the bright cube with some wonder. Like before, he felt compelled to touch it, fingers slowly reaching for it to feel the perfect figure. His nerves felt the cube become surprisingly warm compared to the atmosphere of chill. No visions assaulted his mind like before but his surroundings began to warp.

* * *

_Blinking a few times to gather himself, Shikikan looked around to find beautiful green plains all-engulfing the entire area. No buildings or man-made structures were visible amongst the grass that hugged the earth below it in a loving embrace. No ocean was in sight and no planes were in the air._

_It was a paradise for the average person. Except this paradise was ruined when the sounds of miniature explosions confined in a metal container were heard. The officer's nerves tensed, his eyes looking around for the source of the sound. More of it was heard coming from over a hill. Slowly, he walked over the hill to come face to face to whoever or whatever was causing that noise._

_Once he stood at the top of the hill his eyes landed on a lone person, male in the figure, sitting on a boulder covered in pieces of armor and gear. A helmet hid his face with a cloak hugging his shoulders and covering the top portion of the helmet. A holster was on his right hip while his hands were toying with a pistol of sorts. _

_Shikikan wanted to speak to get the man's attention but the weapon he held looked was intimidating. Without paying enough caution, he accidentally knocked over a small rock. It tumbled down the hill and landed against some boulders. The slight sound of the impact caused the lone figure to stop messing with his weapon and point it at the Admiral. He raised his hands over his head while his heart began to beat quickly and his nerves tensing up in fear._

"_Are you...me?" Shikikan questioned, wanting to confirm his earlier conclusion _

_The male's response was to cock his head to the side in confusion while approaching the unarmed officer slowly. Once he was close enough, he looked Shikikan over a few moments before placing the weapon in his holster. Then, he took off the holster and threw it at Shikikan. Catching the large item, he noted how heavy it was right away. No pistol weighed heavier than what he held in his hands right at that moment. But, the man didn't answer his question nor give him enough time to question why he gave his weapon away._

_Any further protests were squashed as the area suddenly disappeared into a dark void._

* * *

Shikikan awoke, gasping for air he didn't realize he held from his lungs. He felt like he hadn't breathed for the past couple of minutes. Slowly rising to his feet, he felt a significant amount of weight on his ride side. Looking towards the source, he found the holster coupled with the gun placed firmly on his hip.

"What in the world?"

The cube glowed as bright as ever but it had reduced in size. It was almost as small as Shikikan's hand but still holding the brightness. Closing up the box until further notice, Shikikan turned to the holster, unhooking the strap to take out the weapon it held. His fingers cautiously wrapped around a rubber grip that felt comfortable to wield. Slowly inching it out, the officer felt the weapon weight borderline on heavy yet manageable to wield. His eyes then went to inspect it in detail.

It was a gorgeous weapon made with the utmost care and detail of a fine craftsman. The hammer had an insignia of Azur Lane while the cylinder had etchings of insignias of the various factions that made his fleet. The frame itself had inscriptions in various languages written so small that one would need a magnifying glass to see them. Finally, the weapon was bright silver in metal with only the grip being a black.

Shikikan would have studied the weapon more but he had other errands to do. So, he quickly holstered the weapon and concealed it with his jacket before proceeding outside and locking the store up. He felt the chill of the outside nip at his exposed face while the rest of his body remained nice and warm. Like a cold hand running its fingers down his face slowly to make sure every small nerve felt it.

Without missing a beat, Shikikan made his way towards the docks to observe the exercises for the cruisers. Both heavy and light cruisers had to be part of the exercise and he was only there to observe and give advice. His feet crunched the snow beneath him while he walked down the frosted paths down to the docks. Laughter and yells could be heard all around him with words that were too muffled to make out. Wars being reignited with the frosty snow as the main source of ammunition and defense.

"Good morning, Teitoku-san,"

The Admiral turned towards the source of the voice to lock eyes with Takao in an attire he hadn't seen. She wore a dark kimono that had large tufts of fur around the neck and sleeves with a red sash wrapped tightly around her waist. Her usual white bow that tied her ponytail was colored red this time around. Shikikan looked confused at her different attire since he was used to the usual naval uniform that was...well...rather attractive on her.

"Takao, why are you not already exercising with the other cruisers?" he asked, putting his hands into the pockets of his jacket when he felt them grow cold

A frown formed on the swordswoman but at least she didn't have her blade on her, "Did you forget you had a date with me? Disrespectful for your standards."

"Ah, forgive me. Gascogne didn't exactly write down everyone that wanted to take me on a date. That and I haven't exactly had the best mornings either," Shikikan raised his hands in defense

"Lack of sleep? If so, then you need to not fool around with the other women if they are making you sleepless."

He shook his head, "No, that's not it. Just some...bad dreams."

Takao nodded, her gaze turning towards the direction of the docks where the faint sounds of gunfire could be heard, "Are you aggravated that you cannot fight alongside us with rigging of your own?"

"No, that's not it. I used to have nightmares about the deaths of my brothers. The worst part was not being there when they died but seeing them already in a casket ready to be buried," The Admiral sighed, thinking back to his early years in the Navy at the beginning of the Siren War

Then he followed up with a question, "Does a moment like that ever plague you at some point?"

"Everyday," Takao answered with a calm demeanor yet her gaze hardened slightly, "I was the last to survive out of my three sisters. Every faction has a member that knows that experience first hand. It's what we do with it that matters."

Shikikan had to admit that Takao knew how to handle herself despite many of the personal failures she had gone through. She was right about many of the shipgirls in his fleet had faced similar tragedy and dealt with it somehow. Some much more positive than others, but that all changed when he revived those they had lost. Still, the visions of every shipgirls' death played in his mind with his hand unconsciously moving towards the revolver from this morning.

"Come, let's watch the exercises and not dwell on the past," Takao stated firmly

Shikikan followed after the eldest sister, finding her composed demeanor a breath of fresh air. Still, she had her moments of letting herself fall to anger like that horrible time with the King's Game. Speaking of that day, she had him give her a ring by force but at least she was going to date him before he planned those marriages. To make it easier, it would be best for the marriages to be handled by their respective factions.

Although, that was going to be hell once the Admiral came around to it. He was going to have to practice some of the traditions of the Sakura Empire that he was not knowledgeable of. At least the Ironblood, Royal Navy and Eagle Union had a western-style marriage. That still left questions around the Iris.

Then a mischievous thought came to Shikikan's mind. There was one small little weakness in Takao's discipline that Atago loved to exploit and Shikikan often noticed during sorties. While he was a few paces behind the Sakura heavy cruiser, he suddenly embraced her with his arms wrapping around her waist. Like a calculated battle plan, he got the desired results quite quickly.

Immediately Takao's posture stiffened up with her face illuminated in a scarlet blush. Following that, she began to squirm in his grasp despite his firm grip.

"A-ah! L-let me go,"

Even with the cold falling down on them, this little display of affection was no doubt warming. Although, the Admiral was not expecting for one of his arms to suddenly be gripped and his whole body being thrown over Takao's shoulder. All he realized was some pain on his back and his eyes looking upward following with the cold of the snow.

"S-sorry Teitoku-san, I forget you're not like my sister with her reaction speed," Takao said, offering her hand for the man to get up

With a grunt of pain, Shikikan reached out and grabbed the offering hand before being heave upwards to his feet. Without a word, both proceeded to the docks to find the exercises still being conducted. A bench was nearby for the duo to watch although there was a layer of snow covering it. So, it was probably wise for them to stand unless they wanted to get wet.

Still feeling the pain of being thrown by the physically superior shipgirl, the Admiral said, "Nothing getting the blood flowing than feeling a little pain."

"Apologies again. Here," Takao then took off the amber ring that was on her left hand and turned towards her superior, "It was shameful of me to demand this of you."

The Admiral was shocked to see the ring offered back to him, shaking his head in response, "No, I can't take that back. If there was something I learned from my parents, it was once you give a girl a ring, you follow on that promise."

"Then hold onto it once I prove myself to you."

Takao's response cut through Shikikan's refusal as easily as her blade cut through bullets. Her posture returned to normal if not much more straight than before. Despite her willingness to give up her position, the Admiral just couldn't accept it. Instead, he simply forced her hand to close on the ring softly, earning a look of surprise.

"I think I should let you hold onto it and you wear it when you feel like you earned it," he said softly

As much as this moment was quite romantic for the Sakura cruiser, she quickly grabbed his hand before towing him away from the docks lest the other cruiser shipgirls saw them. Still, that didn't hide the blush on her face as she pulled the man along towards the Sakura dorms.

* * *

The Admiral stood in the dueling arena located within the Sakura dorms. This was where most of the Sakura shipgirls practiced their swordsmanship to perfect their skills before combat. The only ones, as far as the officer knew, that didn't practice were a good amount of the destroyers and submarines. So, why did Takao drag him over here and left him waiting for her?

"Takao has a strange choice of date," he muttered to himself while idly gazing around the interior

While he waited, the officer took out the revolver he was given this morning and began to play around with it. He pushed the cylinder out to find the gun was empty and the chambers were not standard. Whatever his alternate version used for ammunition, it clearly was not standardized magnum ammunition. Akashi could probably analyze the weapon and find a way to make some rounds so he could test fire.

The sound of a wooden door sliding open got Shikikan's attention, putting away the revolver back into the holster. Takao walked into the dueling arena wearing her normal attire and wielding a couple of bokkens. She then threw one of them to him before taking her place in the arena.

"I don't mean to offend but what are we doing, Takao?" Shikikan questioned as he shed the jacket and holster, throwing them to the side before taking his place on the arena floor

"Training. Helps clear the head of distractions and allows the release of emotions,"

He really wanted to question why that seemed the case considering he found combat to apply much more stress than relief. The only relief he found was when a battle was over whether it was a victory or defeat. Sadly, the Admiral wouldn't get much time to think on this as he quickly brought his bokken up to block a quick attack.

As the duo was locked with their swords, it took every ounce of strength from the man to keep his opponent from pushing through his defense. He was able to push her back momentarily before she came in with an attack towards his side. With heartbeat rising quickly, the Admiral ducked under the slash only to get a small whack to the back of his shoulder. The sting of wood smacking against skin caused him to grit his teeth.

"Always expect the unexpected," the shipgirl stated with a slight grin crossing her face

Shikikan didn't answer back on that advice. He then took the offensive with a couple of swings of his own, only for them to get parried. Takao's expertise in swords put many of Sakura comrades to shame and it showed. Another couple of attempts to hit her side were met with the bokken being blocked and instantly get counterattacked. The Admiral had to back up on a few of the strikes lest he gets smacked again.

"_Okay, it's clear I'm literally losing this no matter what I do. What can I pull that she won't expect?" _he thought to himself while steadying his posture

A thought came to his mind as he positioned his bokken in front of him warily. Expecting a strike, he steadied his body a heavy blow to come at him. Takao would not disappoint him as she charged right for him. His eyes could barely keep up with how ridiculously fast she was but his instincts took over. Bokken clashed against bokken in another lock. Then, the officer's plan came into effect.

He shifted his weight and let his defense crumble which allowed him to force Takao's sword to the side. Before she could react to what he had planned, he quickly swept his foot and knocked her feet off the floor. Takao soon landed on her back with her superior's bokken aimed directly at her. Both were breathing heavily from exertion, mainly on Shikikan's side, as their little duel had ended at that moment.

A stunned look layered on her face before she lightly smiled, "Impressive, you exploited my weakness."

"You gave me some advice," he replied with a chuckle, offering one of his hands to help her up

A sudden sense of danger filled him as Takao gripped his hand. Then, he felt her tug him down and his legs being knocked off the floor. The next few seconds were confusing until he found his arm put into a lock. Damn, Takao knew how to sneak in a last-second win just when Shikikan felt that he had won.

"Alright, you win," he grumbled, patting the floor as a sign of surrender

"What did I win?" Takao questioned, releasing Shikikan's arm so he could get up

Rolling his shoulder to get rid of the discomfort, the officer replied, "I didn't realize there was a prize on the line."

"Every battle has a form of prize or at least some reason to fight for victory,"

"Fine, you win more of my respect and admiration,"

Takao handed Shikikan's bokken back to him with a spark of competition in her eye, "If I win again?"

"Like hell you'll win again," he retorted, raising his wooden weapon to challenge the Sakura woman

Their duel continued once more with both exchanging blows while defending themselves. The cool atmosphere was not going to bother the duelists while they were in the warm Sakura dorms. Hours felt like minutes with the morning rising upwards to noon by the time the Admiral was on the floor exhausted.

His body ached with pain from multiple whacks of Takao's bokken while the woman hardly took a blow from him. Both were a bit sweaty from the exercise, especially Shikikan with his shirt looking like a wet rag. Takao was right once more, he could think clearly and he felt like he exerted a lot of stress off himself.

"How many...victories was that?" he panted, pushing himself up against the wall

Takao steadied her breathing while sitting on the floor in front of him, "Four."

Thank goodness none of the other Sakura shipgirls had arrived back yet. No doubt Akagi would either find the Admiral's state infuriating or appealing. The morning exercises were over by now so some of them should be heading back. Only the cruisers, but that meant some of Takao's sisters would be here.

"What did I win?" Takao asked again

"Hm?" the Admiral raised a brow until he remembered her earlier question, "Ah...Well...Anything you want I guess. Something appropriate."

A light blush was on Takao's face as she scooted closer to him, the distance between them reduced to inches. Shikikan raised his gaze to Takao's amber eyes before he found himself lost in how bright they were. Bright as the sun on a summer day yet dim enough to gaze at how beautiful they were. A hand cupped his face before Takao closed the distance to where their lips were centimeters away.

"Ara ara~,"

Speak of the devils. Takao closed her eyes in irritation with her blush becoming darker now that their privacy was broken. Shikikan would have given Atago a piece of his mind for ruining the moment if Takao hadn't rose and chased her out of the dorms. Sighing at how silly that looked from his position, he rose up to gather his belongings. Then he felt the damp shirt cling to his skin which prompted the Admiral to get an idea.

"The onsen should be free for now. None of the Sakura girls would mind either," he muttered to himself

Knowing his way around the dorms, the Admiral proceeded to the onsen.

* * *

Shikikan gave a happy sigh as he plunged himself slowly into the warm embrace of the hot springs. He neatly put his clothes in the changing room, a miniature one reserved for him, and followed the Sakura traditions with such luxuries. The first rules were he had to wash himself before entering the bath and make sure he cleaned thoroughly. Only then could the officer enter but not with his personal towel getting wet.

Thankfully he just placed it off to the side close to him. The warm water doing wonders to his aching body, easing the bruised muscles and skin. Naturally, he closed his eyes to enjoy the feeling of relief washing over his body. But sadly, that relief was short-lived when he heard some wooden doors open and footsteps. Shikikan didn't dare open his eyes to see who it was since he knew it had to be a shipgirl.

He waited several more moments with the water being moved due to someone else entering the bath. It was only until he felt someone's shoulder touch his own that he opened his eyes. Thankfully, it was only Takao, who looked quite unhappy and embarrassed.

"Atago had some nerve to do that," she spoke with irritation laced into her tone

The Admiral chuckled, "Siblings, always got to annoy you in some way."

Silence fell on the two of them with neither wanting to look at the other since both were in a rather embarrassing situation. Even so, Shikikan felt his face being turned towards Takao and their lips met shortly afterward. It was quick, but it did get the point across although Takao looked like a tomato with how dark her blush was.

"Does this ...conclude our date?" she asked timidly while looking the other way

"Do you want it t-"

"No! I mean...not so shortly,"

The Admiral could only smile in return, "Alright, we can continue this at my office. I have a bunch of movies I never watch and a lot of hot chocolate waiting."

Takao's demeanor returned before she spoke, "I assume the paperwork keeps you from having one day to yourself."

This got another chuckle from him, "Yeah, that and keeping your girls from killing each other. I feel like a full time chaperone for college kids."

He closed his eyes once more to enjoy the hot water reducing the soreness he would no doubt feel later, "Right now, I just want to enjoy a moment to relax."

Takao only smiled as she let her body become rejuvenated in the onsen, "Agreed, Teitoku-san."

* * *

**Location: Azur Lane HQ**

In the medical ward of the headquarters, a single woman was laid across hospital bed with medical equipment all around her. IV bags filled with necessary nutrients and liquids were consistently monitored and changed out. A pulse monitor beeped at normal intervals with her heartbeat maintaining nominal levels. She had been like this for almost a year and yet she never opened her eyes.

Until now….

"Commander…"

* * *

**Hey! I hope everyone is doing great out there. Thank you for all the reviews out there and stay tuned for the next episode.**

**Next time: A Wonderful Christmastime...with ash**


	13. Chapter 13

**Enjoy the chapter. That is all**

* * *

The Admiral woke up back in his room laying on the sofa in a half sitting/half lying position. The television was displaying the main menu of the movie he and Takao were watching last night but they must have fallen asleep during it. Speaking of Takao, the Sakura woman had her head resting against his chest while the rest of her body pressed against him in a warm embrace. Not the first time he woke up like this with a shipgirl next to him, but certainly not the last.

Thankfully his position was closest to the edge of the sofa, breaking out of Takao's grasp as she slept. He proceeded to make himself a cup of coffee while looking over the calendar to double-check his current schedule. He almost spat out what coffee he had in his mouth once he saw the date land on the 4th of December. Monthly inspection time

"Shit! I have a million things to do today!" Shikikan began to panic as he hurriedly drank his coffee and went to change into comfortable clothes

Then the phone rang. Shikikan rose a brow at who would be calling him at this time but he went ahead and answered the phone while putting on his pants.

"Hello?"

"Hey! Admiral, I got both good news and bad news," Martin's voice rang from the phone, "Good news is that Enterprise we were talking about yesterday is awake...but the bad news is that she escaped HQ."

"Martin...you're joking me?" the officer retorted, looking out his window towards the sea to hopefully spot the shipgirl

He frowned once he saw the surrounding trees and snow were basically blocking his view. If he was going to run into this alternate Enterprise, he was going to have to wait at the docks or go out into the sea. Both options were terrible since it required Shikikan to ignore his current duties of making sure the base was in perfect order.

"No, I'm not...Guards were knocked out and all the medical equipment was left on the floor. Her ship is gone from the docks and she got through our defenses before anyone could go after her," a tired sigh followed, "Be on your toes, Admiral. You never know what is going through her head."

Shikikan was busy putting on a turtle neck as he listened to Martin's words, his frown evident, "Well, if she tries anything, I'll have Roon with me. That woman can take a beating and dish out more punishment than any carrier."

"Might want to have a backup plan in case that goes south. Watch yourself out there, Admiral."

The call ended with Shikikan's thoughts returning back to his list of errands to work on. Some of them included going over all business through Akashi and Shiranui. Another being inspecting the Royal Navy ships to be sure they didn't have some faulty safety measures that would end in explosions. History taught the officer that bad safety measures could make the strongest of ships easy to blow up. Then he would have to inspect the other factions' ships before going over logistics.

Shikikan's brain began to process every errand for his monthly inspection until his mind awakened to a simple reply.

"Wait for a second, I left the inspections to the leaders of each respective faction. I just have to check in with them if any issues were noticed," the Admiral muttered, scratching the errands off his list

He would have made himself some breakfast but time was not on his side. Making sure he was fully clothed, he left the office after turning off the tv and putting a blanket over the sleeping Takao. He walked into the hallway to immediately feel how chilly the weather was compared to his warm office. He quickly put a coat on and went on his way to the mess hall to get a quick breakfast before he set himself to his tasks.

Once more, snow fell onto the island and replaced the previous snow with fresh batches. Again, Shikikan heard the laughter of the younger destroyers throwing balls of snow at each other. Makeshift forts reinforced their respective positions with their ammunition practically unlimited. At least this snow was real and not discount shaved ice to trick the younger ones they had snow.

His eyes then caught on a lone figure coming towards him, a familiar face that he needed for the day. Roon looked quite different compared to what he was used to, finding her wearing warmer clothing on this cold day. Gone were the metal plates on her head and her uniform was nowhere to be seen. Instead, she wore a cream-colored coat with a long black skirt. She probably wore leggings underneath so she could keep warm. Finally, she finished her outfit with a red scarf around her neck.

"Roon, just the person I was looking for. We have a pretty important day," the Admiral said, feeling some relief that Roon was here

She giggled in return, "Of course, it is our date after all."

"Oh? I meant the fact it was inspection day," Shikikan chuckled at this news, "Gascogne didn't inform me who I was scheduled to date."

That was going to complicate matters a bit more, but not by much. At least Roon was going to be by his side for the entire day in case their surprise visitor ever showed up. If he had to do all the inspections all on his own, like he used to do back in his early career, he wouldn't be home until nighttime. Thankfully, being reminded that the faction leaders were in charge of their inspections, that left most of the day free.

"Come on, I'm famished," the Admiral said, grabbing one of Roon's hand, causing the Ironblood to have a light blush that was not noticeable due to her light skin

She then raised a brow in confusion, "Did you not want me to make you breakfast?"

"No, not today. We have a lot to do today, especially when a certain person arrives on our base," he replied, his voice going low while his eyes shifted downward

"Who?"

"Enterprise. Not the one we know, another one. The one that we thought was working for the Sirens during Operation Simulacrum. She found her way here once more but she was in a coma at headquarters. It was last night she escaped and she is now making her way here,"

Roon's eyes naturally hardened with her hands tightening, unintentionally gripping her officer's in an iron grip, "She won't dare get within a mile of you."

He flinched as his hand shot pain up his nervous system, "I don't think she's here to hurt me. I've...seen what she went through. At least, a piece of it."

Curiosity filled the prototype cruiser's eyes as her grip loosened, "How were you able to do this if she isn't on the base?"

Shikikan's jaw tightened on the idea of explaining the whole alternate timeline cube that ended up in his position. Finding that he would have to explain this to the whole naval base sooner or later, he went with it. He began from the beginning, talking about the cube being sent to him from HQ and hearing about Alterprise being in a coma. He went into detail about the man who died at her side and his conclusion it was an alternate Commander. He finished his long story with the gun and hearing the news about Alterprise waking up.

Roon listened intently, her face staying relatively calm until she heard about Shikikan's alternate self dying which triggered her to frown, "But that was in another timeline, ja?"

"As far as I understand. Still, I want to know how it all happened, find out what went wrong that led to that fate. I don't want that to happen to any of you," Shikikan said in a low tone, grabbing Roon's other hand and holding them tightly

Roon's heart fluttered, her light blush growing darker while she felt a bit spoiled by her officer's unintentional romantic words. She smiled in response with a dark shadow looming on her face, "Don't worry about me, mein liebe, I'll rip the riggings off every Siren and splatter their insides with them before they dare touch me."

"Uh…" He gave a long gaze of horror hidden under shock, "...right. Let's go eat."

* * *

A quick breakfast at the mess hall left the couple to walk towards Akashi's shop without any problems in between. Part of it being Roon's presence terrified the other shipgirls who weren't battleships or prototype ships like her. Even though she had not gone to her destructive personality since Thanksgiving. It was an improvement, but the Admiral would prefer Roon to not go into her darker self unless absolutely necessary.

The snow depressed under their feet, leaving clear trails behind them. There was no wind to freeze anyone on the spot so the snow was quite nice. Small flakes landed on their bodies before slowly falling off. Unlike yesterday, Akashi had her shop open with a few shipgirls inside to buy some supplies she stocked upon. Mainly lecture books to help improve their skills with Langley constantly reminding them to do so.

"Akashi? Got a minute," the Admiral asked, stepping towards the counter where the repair ship did her business

She grinned eagerly, "Ah~ my favorite customer nya. What brings you back, Shikikan-sama?"

"Inspections," He then leaned in closer to whispering distance, "Also, I need you to analyze something for me."

"Of course, nya~. Akashi always keeps good records of her stock, let me fetch those papers." the Neko turned and went through a back door to the warehouse portion of her store

Shikikan turned around to see what Roon was up to and held his breath when he saw her inspecting a book. Not a lecture book to improve her skills, but a book titled 'How to Marry Your Lover for Dummies." His cheeks lit up and his body felt hot as he studied the prototype cruiser's expression. One of curiosity that was soon replaced with a smile and then replaced with a blissful look.

"Roon?"

She snapped out of her stupor before closing the book and putting it away quickly, "Y-yes?"

Shikikan forced down his blush and tried to remain calm, "What were you reading?"

"N-Nothing! I mean...Just a lecture book!" Roon visibly panicked with her face lighting up in a scarlet color, making her look so adorable

The way she acted when caught red-handed in going further with the officer made her seem like a hopeless romantic. Well, not so hopeless since she only had one love and that was with the Admiral. It was heartwarming to see her progress a little more naturally although he wasn't sure if he was ready to begin walking down the aisle with the other girls yet. Shikikan wanted this whole drama with Alterprise squared away before he even began planning for such an event.

"Here you go, nya~"

Akashi handed a stack of papers for the officer to go over. Years of working behind the desk allowed him to skim the unnecessary and focus on the meat of each paper. Lecture books, promise rings, cubes, and other items were on the list including their amount. Records of the past months of sales were right in front of him to inspect. Even though Akashi was known to make her products a bit outrageous at times, at least she kept her supplies tidy.

"Everything looks good. I'll check with Shiranui," the Admiral nodded before handing the papers back

He took a look back to find Roon reading the same book. Seeing her distracted, he took the revolver out of the holster and slid it towards Akashi along with the keycard. Akashi looked up at the officer to get his clear directions just from his eyes alone. She gave a nod before pulling the items under the desk and going towards the back room to begin.

"Let's go, Roon," he said as he made his way out of the store with Roon following him with an embarrassed smile

Gratefully, Shiranui was far away from Akashi's shop. The couple found her warehouse situated a block away with the destroyer most likely inside the structure to keep warm. Entering the building, the atmosphere went from cold to very warm with the heater on full blast. The Sakura girl was seated at her own little desk while going over her inspection paperwork.

"Shiranui," the officer greeted her

She looked up with her nonchalant expression as usual, "Shikikan, Roon."

"You got the paperwork ready?"

Shiranui nodded before pushing her paperwork towards him for him to inspect. She took her job quite seriously, the warehouse interior is almost spotless. It was so well kept that all the ammunition was stored in containers to prevent explosions if someone or something fired into the warehouse. Recent shipments of prototype main guns just came in with the turrets being stored in a separate building to be installed to awaiting ships.

Shiranui turned her head as one of the blue orbs began to erratically spin around her. She kept her blank look as she spoke, "Someone is here."

The Admiral turned to look back at where the door was to find no one there. The only other entrance was a back door or the main shutters being thrown upwards. Roon went out of the small office and looked towards the back door. Her face spoke everything; her teeth gritted and her eyes narrowing to a glare. The officer knew right then that their special visitor had arrived without tripping the base's defenses or being spotted by all the shipgirls. Impressive.

Walking out of the office to see Alterprise for himself, Shikikan stopped midway once he saw her purple eyes land on him. Unlike his Enterprise, this one's eyes were much more dim like her previous self had been shattered before. Her eyes then slightly widened while they roamed over his body to confirm her assumptions. Neither he nor Roon could see any other expression due to the black scarf covering her lips.

"You came,"

Alterprise slowly nodded, rigging still powered up in case one of the many shipgirls attacked her. It looked like Roon was willing to take her on with that scowl hiding a threat. Most shipgirls would be terrified to fight Roon in open combat, but not this Enterprise. Instead, she began walking closer to the officer. Every step making Roon's eye twitch and the situation becoming more stressful.

"Why are you here?" the Admiral questioned, holding Alterprise's gaze and looking for any answers within those deep violet eyes

"..."

Roon would have blasted the relatively unknown shipgirl if her officer didn't expect to meet her. Who was she? She heard rumors of a being like her that some of the Eagle Union ran into on a sortie. However, Roon was assigned to Martin for the year that happened so everything was hearsay and not confirmed. High Command would probably blotch all documents in black ink to keep the profile of this character out of the public.

"I don't remember you," Alterprise said, her gaze turning towards Roon

Roon was more tempted to summon her rigging right now, "I am a Prototype Heavy Cruiser created out of the Admiral's wishes. Who are you?"

"Simply ash...of my former self...refer to me as such,"

"So what brings you to this timeline if yours has ended?" Shikikan questioned again, putting a hand on Roon's shoulder to calm her done lest she go through with a violent opening

Ash turned her gaze back towards the officer, "To fulfill the last wishes of my Commander and to find his Wisdom Cube. You have it."

"I do. Doesn't explain why I got a gun and visions of your timeline,"

Ash's eyes widened a little before stepping even closer prompting Roon to summon her rigging. The mechanoid dragon began charging its shot to deliver unto the fallen shipgirl who didn't notice or care. The Admiral raised a hand to halt any violence coming, much to Roon's dismay. What neither expected was for Ash to put her hands on the officer's head before closing her eyes.

No one raised a question about what the aircraft carrier was doing. Her face scrunched up like she was thinking or feeling for something. Shikikan didn't feel himself getting thrown into her mind nor thrown into some form of vision so what was she up to? A few moments more of silence from the new shipgirl until she dropped her hands with her gaze to the floor.

"So he gave you his weapon?" Ash questioned, talking more to herself rather than the couple in front of her, "A shred of him might be left."

"Excuse me?" Shikikan looked shocked at the news

"The wisdom cube, give it to me," her hand extended outward to demand the item, "I want it."

"The cube belongs to us now. You explain to us everything before I break you," Roon threatened with her cannons taking aim

Ash kept her eyes at the Admiral despite the clear threat imposed by the prototype cruiser. Her eyes weren't as hollow as earlier, a small amount of her color becoming a bit brighter. If the cube was hers, who was Shikikan to deny her what she rightfully owned? Moreover, a shred of her Commander being alive because the cube might hint towards it? Either that Wisdom Cube held the remnants of the Commander or Ash was naive in the thought of her only friend being alive.

"Roon, lower your guns. I'll take you towards the Wisdom Cube," Shikikan ordered before turning with a dumbfounded Roon staring at him

Ash didn't show it, but under that scarf of hers was a hidden smile. Walking past the shocked Ironblood, she followed the Admiral through the familiar base she could remember. Well, remember as much as it stayed somewhat like the one in her timeline. This one looked much more upgraded and full of life.

* * *

It didn't take long for the trio to find themselves in Akashi's lab. The Pure Cube, as Ash called it, was levitating inside of a machine that sent waves of energy into it to probe for a possible shipgirl. Nothing replied to the waves of energy while the revolver was being scanned and displaying loads of info. The Neko, meanwhile, was searching for anything on the two items given to her by the Admiral. Such strange items from an unknown place.

"Akashi, find anything?" Shikikan asked as the trio entered the room

Akashi turned towards them, her mouth opening to report until she saw Ash. Her mouth instantly closed before the shipgirl dove into a bin of Wisdom Cubes. Her ears poked out before scanning the room for the scary looking Enterprise. Slowly, Akashi lifted her head out of the box to speak.

"Y-yes! So much information nya~. The weapon is not from here and uses specialized ammunition that could damage Sirens." she reported before sinking back into the bin, "C-can you send s-scary looking Enty away nya?"

"Specialized ammunition? Makes sense considering what you two went against but how could a measly rev-"

"Hand cannon," Ash corrected

Shikikan cleared his throat, "Hand Cannon do damage to a Siren? If my reports are correct, standard arms do nothing."

Roon went over to the weapon, looking at it with wonder while her love and this woman were talking. Her eyes trailed over to the small inscriptions of the weapon with one of them being recognizable. While her officer couldn't read it, she saw the inscription as German while the others must be other languages.

"The strength of the pack is the wolf," Roon read aloud, getting the attention of Akashi

The repair ship got out of the bin then made her way towards the prototype cruiser, "Those inscriptions were handmade. No weapon is like this one."

"Not even one?" the Ironblood questioned, her fingers tracing over the smooth metal of the gun

Akashi shook her head, "Not even the Sakura would make such a thing. The inscription near the Sakura symbol says 'As old and as true as the sky.'"

"That's a poem the Commander used to say every time we battled against the Sirens." Ash explained

"You're begging the question, what was he like in your timeline?" Shikakan questioned, intrigued on what his counterpart would be like in a darker world

Ash looked towards the Pure Cube with her eyes noticeably going soft for one moment, "He was.."

* * *

_BAM! BAM! BAM!_

_Smoke trailed from the gun barrel as three bullets were fired in rapid succession. The target was now punched through with three medium sized holes into their body while the shooter stood there for a reaction. Seconds later, a body fell to the floor as the shooter was revealed to be a man encased in armor that looked advanced and Siren-like. No rigging, just armor to keep himself safe from attacks._

_Behind him were some children who cowered in fear to the opponent that now lay dead. The opponent was one of the Sirens, Tester Alpha. Her rigging going limp as the life of her yellow eyes slowly drained out of her. Two shots into her chest while the third landed in her stomach, fatal wounds. The tentacles of her rigging thrashed about for anything, but no such mercy came to them. _

_The man walked up to the dying alien girl, his gun filled with plenty of rounds. Observer Alpha looked towards the man with what little strength she could, pulling a triumphant smile. Another gunshot rang into the air with the Siren going limp._

"_Thanks mister, we were trying to reach the Havens but she ambushed us," one of the children, a little brunette girl said_

_The man turned back to them, holstering his pistol while kneeling to be on their level, "Traveling out in the open is a bad idea. You should have taken to the shadows before making your way."_

"_Is it true?" another one, a blond boy, said, "Are you the Commander that tried to hold off the aliens?"_

"_Used to be...Rank doesn't mean anything." he rose and took out his weapon once he heard a familiar hum, "Let's move. This place will be bombed to kingdom come."_

_The soldier and his group of children left the area and just as he said so, planes flew overhead with thousand-pound bombs dropping. The corpse of the Siren was instantly obliterated and any traces of the group were covered. No evidence for them to be hunted down._

* * *

"Sounds like a good man," Shikikan commented after Ash had finished her story, her eyes welling up with tears but the shipgirl rubbed them away

"He asked me to make sure that timeline never happened again. That's why I'm here,"

Roon and Akashi looked towards the Admiral for a response, but he gave none. He understood now, the Commander gave one final order before his death. Prevent the alternate timeline from ever happening, prevent the Sirens from winning the war. Humanity had to be saved at all costs.

"The Pure Cube is still something I want answers for," he finally said

Ash was going to respond until the Pure Cube began to glow brightly in reaction to the construction machine sending a wave of energy. It began to rotate quickly before exploding into a pure white shower. The tube opened with steam filling up the room, preventing anyone from seeing what came out of the Wisdom Cube.

What everyone got to see was a sight that no one expected. Not even the Admiral nor the shipgirls around him.

* * *

**There. I was originally going to do a Christmas chapter but I felt it would be unnecessary. So, a question I have to ask all of you is this; would you guys like to start seeing some marriage chapters? Leave a comment down below**


	14. Chapter 14

**You guys have waited so here is the next chapter.**

* * *

Bullets smashed into their intended target, splintering wood flying everywhere with each impact. The atmosphere was a bit still chilly as usual but today's chill was colder due to the winds. Another bullet cut through the atmosphere and penetrated a wooden target before the victim fell over onto the snowy bank. Smoke trailed from the weapon fired thanks to the barrel being warmer compared to the air around it. Smiling at his handiwork, the Admiral pushed the cylinder out of his new weapon and disposed of the empty casings.

Yesterday had been quite a day with Ash arriving on the base and stating her intentions of being in this timeline. Roon was quite upset with her sudden arrival and the rest of their date being ruined thanks to more important matters coming up. What were those important matters? Well, the Pure Cube reacted and materialized an item instead of a shipgirl. Whatever his counterpart was thinking of when he put this cube together, Shikikan was both impressed and a bit confused.

The reward for forcing the Pure Cube to activate gave way to a personal suit of armor similar to the counterpart. If Ash's final order was to stop as many Sirens from winning in multiple timelines, then her Commander made sure to arm the respective leaders. Although, this armor seemed to be an extension of a prototype rigging system designed for human use instead of shipgirls. The small desire for Shikikan to fight alongside his subordinates was finally realized but...was it really the right choice?

His brothers fought on the front lines and met their death while he served the navy. So far, his leadership allowed for multiple victories when other admirals were barely lucky enough to survive. Would being on the front lines with the girls who were designed for war be a good idea? Maybe not...maybe so.

That's what led him to the target range. Usually reserved for the shipgirls to test out their new guns or to practice their aim, he found it a suitable place to fire the hand cannon. He expected it to kick like a mule and maybe break his arm judging by the specialized ammunition he had Akashi create. Rounds that can apparently kill a Siren if he struck their humanoid body but unable to pierce their rigging. Makes sense, they had flesh and bone like human beings but it did beg a simple question.

Why didn't standard arms kill them?

If the Admiral remembered correctly, there were many attempts to kill a Siren with what tech the nations had. Anything beneath a naval gun seemed to bounce off an energy field they created, thus making standard arms useless. Back to the weapon, the recoil of it was quite manageable although he still needed time to get used to. As far as he could tell, this weapon could no doubt be a nice self-defense weapon in case he came face to face with one of the Sirens.

Once he got rid of the casings, one by one, Shikikan pushed the cylinder flushed with the revolver and holstered it. No need to waste valuable ammunition willy nilly considering these were bullets specially designed and unable to be mass-produced. Imagine if these were to be mass-produced? That could end the war very quickly but at the same time...the average person was instantly a threat to a shipgirl. Could mankind responsibly hold such power if given to them?

No...Probably not. Someone out there would do some terrible things with munitions like these.

Pushing those thoughts away, Shikikan made his way back towards the administrative building for a very long conference. Considering yesterday, it would be impossible to keep Ash a secret without someone spotting her. Everyone would ask questions about the gun and then what about the armor once the officer began to test it himself? Better to get those questions knocked out before they were ever raised.

"_Who is going to be my date for today? Royal Navy?" _the man wondered with each footstep imprinted on the snow below him

Might as well be surprised once more when his date decides to show herself.

* * *

Shikikan now stood in a conference hall large enough to fit over five hundred people in seating alone. He remembered when it used to be a small conference room that held no more than fifty but those were the early years. A smile came to his face when he looked back at how green of an officer he was. A bumbling idiot who couldn't speak in public to save his life. But that's what happens when you send a man who barely turned twenty-one to a naval base full of shipgirls.

Now, here he was, preparing to unveil the recent events to a fleet that numbered past three hundred different women. The pressure was much stronger than it ever was before, yet, it didn't make the Admiral feeling nauseous. It only embolden him to get this news over with so he could move on and get to important matters.

Looking over a couple of note cards to help him stay on topic, he sighed to calm himself down. The doors to the conference room opened and the flood of shipgirls began. Now was the time to prepare himself. The officer walked over to the podium at the front of the conference room and took a slow breath to calm his nerves. Once all the girls had gathered into the room, the news began.

"As far as you know, we had a visitor some time ago that resembled one of our own. I can say that she has been spotted once more," he studied the reactions of the shipgirls before continuing, "She was spotted on this base."

The atmosphere became tense with murmurs flowing through the audience, some accusations of the defenses being too small to spot such a powerful shipgirl. The officer waited until the murmurs died down so he could have full control.

"I can assure you that Ash, as her designation, will not harm any of us so long as we do not provoke her to."

Enterprise rose from the corner of his eye, "How can you be so sure, Admiral? She tried to kill us during the Bermuda Triangle anomaly."

The Admiral gave a nod before clearing his throat, "Her reasons for that were for someone she cared about. She joins us now because of that person's dying wish."

Even though he couldn't spot Roon within the mass of shipgirls, Shikikan could definitely feel her gaze upon him. The gazes of all the shipgirls were on him, some curious while others got the hint.

He continued, "From what intelligence I gathered personally, she comes from a separate timeline that holds a dark fate for many of you. Humanity was at the point of extinction with very few to stand up against the Sirens. She...and her Commander were the last two heroes."

Silence followed as the hint was plainly dropped on top of the girls with many of them now understanding. That still didn't defuse the tension some of the shipgirls had against Ash.

"Where is that Commander now?" a voice broke through the silence

Shikikan recognized the voice, Elizabeth may have been a pain but she was not one to back down in raising a question, "Dead. Saved humanity but at the cost of his own life."

The metaphorical glass was smashed into dust as the shipgirls began murmuring once more. His words had caused a chain reaction of possibilities that could fall upon him. It was obvious that the women were discussing the possibility of their officer falling to a similar fate. A fate that a number of them would never want to experience.

"That is all, you are all dismissed,"

He didn't let them try to barrage him with questions. A full salvo alone would be a bit too much for him to bear with such a large crowd. If they asked him about each of their fates, Shikikan wasn't sure if he could handle trying to see those scenes in his head. They happened too fast for him to analyze and they didn't show the cause of death. Retreating to the back end of the room, he opened a back door to escape from that confined place.

Once the Admiral made it outside, he started walking towards Akashi's store so he could test out that armor for himself. Preferably, he would like a test run before he had his date to get to. He trudged through the snow as fast as he could and didn't look back to see if any of his girls were following him. The faster he got to Akashi's shop, the better.

* * *

There it was, marked in a steel black shade with white trimmings on the side. It was pretty modest of a suit of armor, taking a more human proportion rather than an entire exoskeleton or ornate rigging. The only differences the Admiral noticed compared to his counterpart were a couple of metal 'wings' that are connected to the back. Some form of emitters were tucked into these 'wings' and they posed no flight capabilities. At least from what Akashi was able to scan.

"This has to be some form of titanium plating," he observed, knocking his knuckles onto the surface to feel the cool metal echo the sound

More armored plating covered the chest to the head region with lighter armor beginning at the stomach area. The legs were heavily armored with the arms being medium in armor plating. The back was armored more than the arms but less than the chest. The feet had some materials normally seen on the shipgirls' shoes that allowed them to float on the water. Lastly, the helmet fully encased the helmet with a visor to protect the face from shrapnel.

"Looks like he really thought this through, but I wonder if he ever got to test it."

The scene of his counterpart's death came to his mind, "Unless the test was the very last thing he did before death."

Now how to open up this armor? It looked to be in one single piece with a frame underneath the external plates. The helmet came off easy but the rest of the armor was a bit of a mystery. Shikikan raised his hands and touched the chest plate of the armor where the cool metal nipped at his fingertips. Immediately, lights began to illuminate the armor before it split in half to where one could simply stand inside of it. Curiosity further pushed the officer to step into the open armor and place his arms where the open armored arms were.

Like a hydraulic system, the armor closed around his body in a tight but not uncomfortable seal. The only part of his body left open was his vulnerable head, which he looked into the helmet with conflicting thoughts. Once he put this armor on fully, he felt compelled to fight alongside the shipgirls he commanded for the past years. He didn't tell them about the armor nor his hidden desire to fight on the front lines with them.

A pang of guilt smacked his heart at the thought of how brave his brothers must have been while he chose the cowardly way. Sure, he kept humanity safe and was able to push the nations into a peaceful resolution so long as the Sirens were around, but he still sat behind a desk. His mother never liked the prospect of her sons and her husband going off to war, but they all did. She had to be there for everyone one of their funerals and that guilt only festered as the years passed.

"_I'll make you all proud." _

Slowly, the Admiral sealed his fate as he put the helmet on with the visor going over his vision of making the world a little smaller. The armor on his body latched onto the helmet to seal it in place lest it fell from his head for some reason. His vision suddenly expanded and lights danced in front of his eyes. An outline of the armor appeared temporarily to the right side of his vision while several sentences were suddenly typing themselves to his left.

_Armor system analysis….online…._

_Armor strength...operational…_

_Power supply...Exceptional…_

_Welcome back Commander…_

"It's Admiral now, but I'm beginning to miss that old rank," the officer chuckled as he began to experiment with the movement.

His arms were not restricted since the weight of the armor was dispersed along his body with the frame of it doing most of the work. Then he tried walking around, finding no restrictions to that movement either. Although, these little attachments on his back made it feel a bit off on his balance. He was going to need the assistance of the shipgirls to learn how to even float on the water considering he was left speechless on that fact.

Wouldn't want to drown himself on the very first practice run now, would he? The funny thought fled as he heard the door open to Akashi's workshop.

"Admiral? Are you here?" a female British voice was heard

Shikikan could have stayed silent and tried to take off the armor, but he already put it on, "Yes, I am here."

A few more moments and Hood walked to visible range. His vision was suddenly filled with her profile and her armaments out of nowhere.

"Can you shut that off?" he grumbled, finding the information he already knew quite annoying

_Acknowledged...Shutting off systems_

"Were you speaking to me, Admiral?" Hood questioned once she had seen him, finding his appearance curious if not a bit confusing

"No, no, I was talking out loud. Forgive my appearance, Christmas came very early," he replied, trying to think of how to get this armor off

Hood inspected the man from foot to helmet, her eye analyzing every detail, "Was this also a gift from the other timeline?"

"Obvious, isn't it?"

_Disengaging systems…_

The armor opened up, allowing the more athletic frame of the man get out. Shikikan took off the helmet and placed it back on the armor before turning back to the elegant woman in front of him. He flinched once he noticed she was frowning, a very rare sight from Hood unless she really was upset. Her eyes were piercing through his own, reading his every thought no matter how much-reinforced steel hid them.

"You aren't serious about joining us in actual battle, are you?" Hood questioned, his answer was obvious but she asked him anyway

The Admiral sighed in defeat, "It's a backup plan in case something goes south. I will rather be prepared for anything than being left at the mercy of the enemy."

This did little to satisfy the upset lady, "Admiral, with all due respect, humanity cannot afford to lose an officer of your caliber. Many of the girls here would lose their will to fight if you ever fell in battle."

"I never said I would be leading the vanguard myself. Only in a last-ditch effort will I even consider the option."

Hood shook her head, "Please understand I look out for your safety. I and those you put your trust into are simply making sure you survive."

"Then you wouldn't mind teaching me how to move on the ocean?" The Admiral replied back, earning a sigh from the battlecruiser

"You are a stubborn man, but, I might as well if you are so willing." She then began to giggle, "It looks like I must reteach the Admiral how to dance."

* * *

At the docks, Laffey sat on one of the wooden benches looking toward the sea despite the chilly weather around her. She wore a thick pink jacket with matching boots and gloves. Next to her was Javelin in her own winter attire and Z23. Ayanami did not join them due to the cold and all of them were enjoying a fresh batch of hot cocoa.

Plus, watching the Admiral learning how to simply move on the ocean with his recently acquired gear with Hood as his teacher was quite amusing to watch. Well, amusing except for Z23 who looked utterly embarrassed watching the poor officer look like a bumbling idiot. His first few attempts simply made him trip and fall underneath the ocean. Thankfully that armor kept most of the cold out or he was going to have hypothermia.

"This reminds me of the time when Shikikan first got here," Javelin spoke in a happy tone

Laffey sleepily nodded before taking another sip of her drink, "Admiral was very nervous."

"Ja, he couldn't speak to us on the first day without shutting down," Z23 agreed, looking away at such an embarrassing sight

A loud splash was heard with Hood giggling afterward before pulling the soaking man out of the ocean before he sunk. This was not like dancing in the ballroom, far from it. It was more like ice skating but with propulsion instead of motion. Shikikan never went ice skating in his life so one could imagine how confusing it was to get a grasp on the concept. He began to regret ever thinking of taking on a more active role in future sorties.

Rising out of the water and gripping tightly onto some solid ground, the man gasped, "How can any of you move like this when I can't move an inch!?"

Hood only smiled in return, "Keep in mind, this was your idea. I was against it initially so this is your fault, Admiral."

"Hood, I don't need British smugness right now,"

Shikikan stood back up, trying to steady his feet on the waters below his feet. It felt weird trying to stabilize himself on a surface that wasn't solid. He felt like he was slightly floating on air due to the buoyancy his gear was giving him. What was the logical explanation on how this system worked? Something extremely complicated that the officer had no time to understand at the moment.

Once he felt that he was stable enough, he tried to begin his movement by engaging his propulsion systems. The wing-like appendages raised a bit before he was suddenly sent flying forward at a great speed. No, this was not what he was going for at this moment. His fear made him almost try to stop himself but every time he did that, the officer fell face first into the ocean. So, learning from the last embarrassing attempts, he kept his legs close together and simply shifted the direction of his feet.

This got him to start turning instead of falling right over. Oh, so this is how the girls were able to turn but how could they turn sharply? With mind brainstorming, the Admiral then leaned in the same direction earning a sharper turn. Hood was clapping off to the side while she was flawlessly balanced on the ocean surface.

"Very good, you are starting to get the basic concepts," Hood complimented

"Yeah, I'm hoping this thing doesn't go any faster," the officer joked, but that would be his worst mistake

_Thrusters engaged...100% _

There was no time to react before the man was sent hurling through the seas, past the docks and towards the wider ocean. Hood and the destroyers had looks of horror before they took action. Hood wouldn't be able to catch up but the destroyers could. Rigging materialized before the three smaller girls took off after the Admiral. The man was trying to turn back in the direction of the base but his speed was making his turns very wide and off course.

"Goddammit! Shut off!"

The armor did not pay heed to the officer's orders while he desperately tried to change course or be lost out in blue expanse. Thankfully, the Starter Squad (minus Ayanami) had caught up to him and were looking for a solution.

"Javelin, grab the Admiral's left side and pull him to change his direction. I'll push his right side and Laffey…" Z23 began barking orders before she turned towards the bunny to find her asleep

"ZzzzzZ,"

"Laffey!" the bunny awoke momentarily and without orders, went in front of the speeding officer and tried to stop him

Despite the speed slamming into the smaller girl, she held her ground and began to push against the armored man. Z23 and Javelin used their combined strength to force the Admiral's direction to head back to port and with Laffey's attempt to slow him down, it was working. Well, it was mostly working, the speed of the officer was still coming too fast. They were running out of ocean as the docks were rapidly coming closer.

"Girls, aim me towards the beach, the sand will beach me and stop all my momentum. I can't stop this thing so let's not take out some of the docks," Shikikan ordered, bracing for the inevitable

Despite all their best efforts, it was clear that there was no stopping this crash. So, Z23 and Javelin pushed and pulled the armored man in the direction of the beach instead of the docks before letting go. Laffey swiveled out of the way as the officer braced for impact. The very moment his feet touched solid ground, his body was sent hurling in the air and slamming onto the soft sands. He bounced off the sandy beach several times before his momentum came to a halt before the main road on the naval base.

Pain coursed through his entire body, the armor having taken most of the impact but unable to stop all of it. Groaning, Shikikan pushed himself onto his back before pushing the helmet off of his head. Fresh air flooded his lungs while he slowly pushed himself up into a sitting position.

"Admiral, are you alright?" Hood came running from the docks before kneeling down to inspect for any wounds

A small trail of blood began to fall from his forehead but the man was relatively unharmed, "I'm good...but I don't think I'm going to do that until I get the hang of this thing."

The destroyers arrived onto the beach before their rigging disappeared with the girls also checking up on the Admiral. The wing-like appendages were bent out of shape but overall, it was relatively fine.

"You didn't do half bad out there," Javelin said in a cheerful manner, attempting to lighten up the mood

Shikikan didn't reply, attempting to get onto his feet again before pain shot up his right leg, forcing him to kneel. His face scrunched up with Hood and Z23 immediately taking a side of him to take the weight off his leg. The armor opened up, allowing the man to get out, so he didn't weigh so much.

"Jav, Laf, get Akashi," he told the two destroyers

"We need to get you to Vestal, come along Zed," Hood spoke sternly, her smile fading

Shikikan expected for him to limp with the support of the battlecruiser and Ironblood but he quickly found himself off his feet. He looked shocked to find that Z23 was carrying him bridal style with her face blushing yet serious.

"I'm not doing this for any reason other than taking care of you," she spoke quickly before anyone could question

Hood, although taking the situation seriously, couldn't help but feel a bit jealous, "Ms. Nimi, as the Admiral's secretary, it is I who will be carrying him to Vestal."

"Nein! As his zukünftige Braut, I will carry him."

"_Goddammit you two," _Shikikan sighed with a sweatdrop, the old war tensions still fresh as ever

It would be a while before he even got to Vestal due to the two arguing women.

* * *

**Here's your late Christmas present, I hope you all like it. A little more serious stuff for those of you who enjoy it. See you guys next time.**

**Next Chapter: Sweet Talk **


	15. Chapter 15

**Enjoy the chapter and leave a review if you can.**

* * *

The sounds of mechanical work filled the room of Akashi's tech lab as Hipper was performing some magic on the Shikikan's armor. The officer himself was sitting down, resting his body after yesterday's failed attempt to learn movement on the seas. Vestal had worked wonders with her healing abilities able to keep his leg from being broken, but she did order him to take it easy. No workouts or any form of hard exercise for the next few days. Meanwhile, he asked Hipper for some technical help with the armor since the Ironbloods had reversed engineered Siren tech for their riggings.

Suffice it to say, Hipper was the best option since she had vast knowledge of maintaining her rigging along with Prinz Eugen's. Hipper didn't hesitate to take on the challenge of figuring out what made the armor work although he only asked her so she could 'fix' it. The Admiral had no idea how much time his counterpart had put into making such a great weapon but didn't leave some for of manual to operate it. Then again, there was no time for manuals when you lost everything.

"How's it looking, Hipper?"

The blond tsundere gave a huff before ripping the armored breast plating off, "It's definitely Siren-like. No way could humanity make something like this without a little help from the Sirens. However, I need to take apart piece by piece before I can say anything."

"How long?" he asked

"Mm, two days without interruptions, three if Eugen bothers me,"

Shikikan gave a nod, "Thank you for helping me out here. I thought I was going to die on day one of testing it out."

Hipper ripped another piece of the armor off, casually throwing it off to the side, "It's not like I care about you like an older sister would, dummkopf bruder."

"_At least that tsundere side never goes away," _The officer mused to himself before getting up and walking outside of the lab. As he opened the door, he noticed Carabiniere standing guard to the side like a good sentry she was. With the bombshell news he dropped on the shipgirls just yesterday, everyone was on high alert which meant Shikikan's personal space was non-existent. Everywhere he went, even in his own room, he was being watched by one of the shipgirls. Could he blame them for simply looking out for his safety when one of their enemies was on the base?

"Carabiniere, do you mind taking this letter to Enterprise?" he asked the short Italian destroyer while procuring a letter from his pocket

The girl gave a salute while accepting the letter and made her way towards the Eagle Dorms. He had a date for today and it was going to be light on his leg since most of the day was going to be traveling. Traveling to where? That was unknown but as far as he knew, his date wanted to get off the base for some time. Who was that shipgirl?

It wouldn't be a far stretch to say that he promised Cesare a date to the opera. But as Shikikan made his way towards the docks, he noted the French battleships docked and awaiting him. As he got closer, the battleships were more recognizable by the shipgirl associated with them. His ideas were laid to rest when he spotted a particular shipgirl resting against the rails of her ship.

Her darker silver hair blended in with the ship that partially covered her right eye. A dark jacket wrapped itself around her shoulders but was not closed. Her garments consisted of a simple blouse that went from her breasts to her legs, stopping short of her knees. Armored leggings followed all the way down to her feet, leaving very little skin exposed. Finishing her appearance was dark gloves that had some armor to them, but nowhere like the Ironbloods.

"Bonjour, Amiral," she waved towards the man as he got closer

Shikikan returned the wave but then noticed more shipgirls near the battleship. Their apparel were similar or contrasted completely which only meant one thing, he was getting an escort party. Not just an escort party, one from the all the French navy, both the Iris Libre and Vichya. Great, just great.

"_I should have seen this coming," _the Admiral thought to himself as he approached the group of gathered French ladies

His escort consisted of Saint Louis, Gascogne, Temeraire, Jean Bart, and Forbin. If Shikikan didn't know he was going on a date, his first thought would have been the French were readying for a sortie. At least it was a nice sight to see both sides of the French navy working together for something bigger than politics.

"Master, I have already calculated the time it will take to travel towards F-" Gascogne began to speak before a hand went over her mouth

Jean Bart's hand kept the fellow Vichya battleship from speaking, "Gascogne, don't spoil the surprise. Dunkerque wouldn't be very fond of that."

"If the Admiral wishes, I can reduce the time by half," Forbin offered, looking a bit bashful

Saint Louis placed a hand on the younger destroyer's shoulder, "Attention à ta langue, you'll outrun the escort."

"Pardonne-moi,"

The Admiral waved off the apology, feeling that there was no need to apologize for simply making a suggestion, "It's alright, let's sail off as soon as possible. I will rather be somewhere else than in the cold."

With that set in motion, the man walked up the ramp into Dunkerque's vessel while the other shipgirls proceeded to their own ships. Once onboard, he found Dunkerque awaiting him in the bridge where it was nice and warm compared to the outside. Minutes later, the battleship lurched forward to begin a long journey towards a very special place the French held dear.

"I'm assuming you aren't going to tell me where we're going are you?" Shikikan asked, taking a seat for the long journey ahead

Dunkerque tried to stay stoic, although the corners of her mouth perked upwards to betray her expression, "I'm afraid not. It's a secret you have to see with your own eyes."

Although not satisfied with that answer, the man found it much more entertaining for his brain to think on their destination. French warships heading to a place they hadn't visited in a long time? It wouldn't surprise him if they went to France for a short time, but where specifically in that country?

* * *

_**Meanwhile…**_

Back at the naval base, Ash had kept herself away from the other shipgirls since they didn't exactly like her presence. A particular few like Washington, Enterprise, and Elizabeth would have loved to fire upon her since the Admiral was off the base. It was only by his orders that no one tried to pick a fight with her although she doubted any of them could last long. But that's not what she was trying to do.

At the moment, all Ash really could do was stare at the ocean during this eerie peace that fell upon the base. It didn't make sense for the Sirens to back off so suddenly. They always had some sort of plan set up whether it be infiltration or a massive assault. Could it be that maybe her Commander had done some sort of rippling effect with their pyrrhic victory? A rippling effect that caused the Sirens to reevaluate themselves?

"E-...Enterprise?"

Ash slowly turned towards the voice, her eyes of apathy locking onto the small frame of Unicorn. She called her by a name she had forgotten. She remembered that little girl, always nervous around others besides Illustrious or the Commander. She stuck to them like they were her older siblings, even after everything had ended. But this wasn't the Unicorn she knew, a different one that didn't have to see the horror of Ash's world.

The light aircraft carrier hid behind U-chan momentarily before gathering enough courage to speak against someone so frightening, "D-Do you...like it here?"

"I suppose…" she could only answer

It was only a day or two since she arrived with her mainly staying by herself. Although, compared to her world, this one was much better. A world she wished could have been her own, one she could be happy in. But those memories only gave rise to the pain and remorse of having it all taken away. Still, she was doing this as her Commander's parting wish.

"I...I was overhearing big sister Illustrious...a-and I was wondering, what was it like in your world? Before everything went...bad," Unicorn asked again, trying to not upset the very powerful woman in front of her

Ash tore her gaze away to look back at the ocean. The source of everything that had gone wrong, yet, it was also the very thing that gave her the little happiness she did have. Even the rivalries she had in her world felt wholesome at least. Familiar faces that relied on one another until the bitter end, leaving two to be broken upon the fate. Where could it have gone so wrong when they once had a strong bond? Was she too weak then?

She wondered about Ember, would she also try to help the Admiral? Although they had been allies, Ember kept her wishes to herself but the possibility was there.

"Are you scared of the ocean?" Unicorn's voice entered Ash's thoughts as the woman stayed silent

This time, Ash spoke, "I was...I hate it."

Unicorn gave a slow nod, her eyes going to the floor to digest the woman's words. They held truth behind them since Enterprise was scared at one point too. However, she didn't hate the ocean, she grew to accept how it brought both joy and pain. Ash, she didn't seem to accept the concept with all the pain she harbored. So, the little aircraft carrier did the one thing she felt would help mend the wound.

While Ash stared intently at the ocean, Unicorn grabbed one of her free hands and stood next to the woman, "I was scared too. Big bro-...I mean Papa showed me how to be brave. I think...he's scared half the time. Was your Commander scared?"

"...I never asked him," Ash admitted, the little girl hitting the spot she tried to suppress

Neither female spoke, only looking at the ocean with their hands clasped together. Well, it was Unicorn holding Ash's hand, but the woman couldn't resist closing her hand as well.

* * *

The Admiral awoke to the sound of boilers shutting off and the lurching of the battleship stopping. The sudden stop caused him to fall out of a hammock he was sleeping in within the ship itself. The cold floor and pain instantly woke his senses while he grumbled with such a rude awakening. It had been many hours, practically a day, since they left the naval base so that must mean they had arrived.

Dunkerque was nowhere near him since she had to maintain the course of the ship itself. When he was awake, Dunkerque went on several naps to catch up on her sleep for this long trek. Some of those naps happening in odd times, such as when she fell asleep on him one time during a hug. But when both were awake, the couple mainly talked about many topics while feasting on some sweets Dunkerque had brought.

Rising to his feet, Shikikan yawned before stretching himself out. Then, he left to go see the secret that the French ladies wouldn't tell him about. What he was greeted with was a beautiful sight. The early sun revealed the beautiful buildings that had survived the test of time, some being made no more than two centuries ago. Large groups of people walked around the harbor and city streets beyond.

"We've arrived at Le Havre," Dunkerque stated, leaving the tower to meet the officer, "I haven't seen this port in so long."

She had changed into something less uniform and more casual. The clothing being a simple blouse followed with a light sweater. A black sun hat sat on top of her head with a pair of square pink shades. She wore no leggings with only a pair of heeled shoes adorning her feet, leaving plenty of skin showing on. Was this a trend with many of the shipgirls who dressed more conservatively? Their normal attire showing little skin but around Shikikan they're willing to show a lot? Still, he was complaining about it.

"Why's that?" he asked curiously

"I was scuttled during the invasion of France, although my ship had been stripped for parts shortly after, _attristante,_" the French woman replied with a shake of her head

The battleships were neatly docked in some designated spots thanks to the port officials. Due to Shikikan's reputation, getting clearance and inspections were quickly done. It really helped being a part of Azur Lane to go through such nuisances as quickly as possible. In no time, the group was allowed into the city to their heart's content.

Well, mostly everyone. Jean Bart stayed behind for her own personal reasons she was not willing to share. As much as the Admiral wanted to know why Jean Bart was not joining them, he left it alone. No point in pestering the Vichya woman when she wasn't willing to disclose her reasons. As for the others, they went off on their own. Forbin going with Saint Louis while Gascogne traveled with Temeraire.

That left Shikikan and Dunkerque to see the place for themselves. The beautiful port having modern streets along with the older architecture. A large spire speared itself into the air as a beacon for the faithful looking for the church. Many stores and unique places set themselves within the city for both residents and tourists to visit. A couple hotels here and a few parks there.

With a woman who had a fascination with sweets, the Admiral was dragged into so many different stores to try their recipes. Thank goodness he didn't wear his officer uniform or the crowds would want to have interviews with him and make his visit turn sour. But, from his experience with French sweets only being Dunkerque's creations, he found many of the treats of good quality. Not outstanding, but not terrible either.

After that, the duo were now in the cathedral that held the tall spire. The mass had ended earlier so there was little to no one inside the large church. Shikikan hadn't attended a church service in years, not since the funeral. The war kept him away although he thanked God for the life he was able to live right now. It could have been better, but it wasn't the worst.

"I remember when Richelieu used to give mass here. She was always one to stick to the faith even when all was lost," Dunkerque spoke while seated at one of the pews, looking around the currently empty cathedral with a guilty tone

The Admiral looked up at the altar and tried to imagine Jean's sister as Dunkerque described her, "She believed in her values. Is that why Jean didn't join us?"

"They had…." Dunkerque paused for the proper words, "A complicated relationship. Jean wasn't a full believer in the faith. I was also in the same regard but I always respected Richelieu."

"So when everything went wrong, you chose to turn your backs on her?"

"We made a choice… a choice we still regret even if Jean won't admit it. Actions speak louder than words, but I don't believe she can bring herself to ask for forgiveness,"

Some silence stopped the conversation as Shikikan looked at the altar with thoughts of his mother. How she would have loved to come here to attend prayer with her family. The annoying early mornings to attend church service on Sundays when her boys weren't sold on religion. Still, she was a lot stronger than he could give credit for. Strong enough to sit through both his father's funeral and brothers' funerals.

The Admiral didn't realize his facial muscles tensed when his memories temporarily took over his vision. The empty pews suddenly being filled with bodies of people sitting comfortably while a pastor was giving his homily. He couldn't remember what was said since he was such a young boy, finding those things so boring he tuned out. The last thing he remembered about a mass, was the last one they had until the Siren War commenced.

"Amiral,"

The full cathedral returned to an empty one as Dunkerque broke memory's spell. This allowed the Admiral to get his wits together and look at the woman sitting next to him.

"Hm?"

Dunkerque had a bit of curiosity in her eyes before her question was raised, "After all this time, you never gave your name to anyone. We only refer to you as your rank or Shikikan, but we never got your true name."

Without missing a beat, an answer was given, "It's classified. Can't have the Sirens know my exact location."

"Do you not trust us?" the French battleship faked a hurt tone

"It's not that," he replied with a sigh, "It's what High Command wants. Ever since this war started, they asked me to go by rank or a nickname. Especially when the Crimson Axis launched attacks during the early years. We didn't know who was a friend or foe."

"Mm, then is it not expectant of a husband to give his name to his wife? Those years have ended and we are now united under a shared goal," Dunkerque responded, a light blush landing on the officer's cheeks

"I'll talk to High Command about that."

That statement gave a smile to the French woman before she kneeled to pray. Shikikan followed suit and began to pray for a few select things. Personal things. A prayer for his mother, his fallen brothers, the shipgirls, and some guidance with his complicated love life. Once he felt satisfied, he raised himself and waited for Dunkerque to finish her prayers.

Another look at the altar caused the Admiral to look in awe as before the altar stood a woman in a beautiful white and red dress. A royal staff in one hand and scripture in her other with a crown adorning her head. Golden hair flowed so elegantly down her back that one could mistake her for some sort of goddess. Her magenta eyes held an air of grace, power, and compassion within them. She bowed towards the officer with a smile on her face.

One blink of an eye and she disappeared as soon as she appeared. Dunkerque rose to find the Admiral's face full of shock in the direction of the altar. Yet, when she looked, there was just an empty altar with no one behind it.

"Amiral? Are you okay?"

A moment passed before he snapped from his stupor, "Yes, I'm alright. Let's go."

As the two of them made their way out of the cathedral, the Admiral looked back to see if he could catch one last glimpse of that woman. Sadly, it was still an empty altar. Was that Richelieu? It matched everything Dunkerque said about her, the ornate dress with the scripture in her hand. Strange for her to show up like that in front of the altar. Maybe, she was always with the Iris shipgirls, just in spirit. Hopefully one day, he could bring her back.

* * *

It was nighttime when the groups had returned back to the port where Jean had watched over their ships diligently. The harbor reminded her of the time the Royal Navy came to their land and shelled their ports to oblivion. They were once allies during the first great war but instead of providing help, they resorted to scorched earth. Jean's heart burned with everlasting anger of the Royal's betrayal with the Iris needed them most.

She should have never come here. The memories were still too fresh for the hardened woman to put down. Memories of a nation once happy and enjoying themselves without war. Peaceful, graceful, elegant like all the propaganda would spill out to the populace. Their peace was nice, but it always ignored the monsters that hid in the closet. The Ironbloods took their lands by storm due to the ignorance of politicians.

"_Richelieu, why didn't you just surrender?" _Jean thought to herself before her attention was broken by the sight of her comrades and the Admiral

"I hope we didn't bore you," the officer called upwards

A mocking smirk came upon the woman's face, "Comme si, I had plenty to do."

She really didn't, just thoughts and occasionally inspecting her ship. They didn't need to know that or the officer would get all sentimental about it. The thought reeked of her sister, the two of them probably would have fallen in love if she were still alive. Shikikan was too kind to not get the attention of those who shared similar sentiments. Yet, he won over cold hearts such as Tirpitz, and that only puzzled the Vichya.

"Jean? Are you ready to depart?" Saint Louis's voice cut through

With a dismissal wave, Jean replied, "Yes, yes, I'm ready."

She saw the rest of her comrades enter their vessels and fire up the boilers. Only the Admiral awaited on the rails of Dunkerque's vessel. Their gazes met and for one moment, Jean saw the reflection of Richelieu in the man. Unconsciously, she gripped the railing of her own vessel tightly with a sneer on her lips. The man entered the opposing vessel before the fleet began their journey back to the base.

"_What are you trying to tell me, sister?"_

* * *

At the same nighttime, a gathering was held among the leaders within the various factions minus the Iris. Within one of the conference rooms were Bismark, Elizabeth, Washington, Mikasa, and Cavour. The Dragon Emperey hadn't sent a representative due to their stake in the Admiral's heart being nonexistent. The other miscellaneous factions were on friendly terms with the officer and nothing romantic as of now.

"So, it seems the Admiral has been very busy lately," Washington mused, her 'distinct' smile plastered on her face

Bismark nodded, "Ja. Already he has promised my sister and Z23 with rings of their own. Has he not already promised three of your own, Mikasa?"

The war god nodded as well, "From what I have been told, yes. His choices in Shoukaku, Akagi, and Takao were very wise in my opinion. Although, only Takao has a promise ring while the other two…"

Elizabeth raised a brow while she had her arms crossed, "What did our gracious Admiral do that secured their positions if they did not have rings?"

Cavour piped in, "Copulation is generally something that can be done before marriage."

The loli battleship sputtered at the thought of the suitable male having done nature's work with two Sakura women but none of her own faction. Hood was always more modest about their relationship so it was a given. But not with the others? None of the maids? This was gravely insulting if it was true.

"You seem to hit a nerve there," Washington chuckled, "Hm, the only one I know of that was dating the Admiral was Baltimore. Hornet hangs out with him from time to time but I wouldn't call her romantic in any way. Then there's Enterprise… the other one."

"Should she be trusted? She attacked our fleets before," Elizabeth questioned, having regained her 'elegant' composure

"She hasn't done anything wrong since she arrived. The Admiral's orders were clear, she is now on our side. The power she wields will greatly benefit us against the Sirens. That kind of power I have only seen once before," Bismark remarked

Mikasa thought on the fallen Enterprise, such a strange one she was compared to their Enterprise, "We should account for the Admiral and his warning about his potential fate. I fear that our own Enterprise might be follow suit if it happens."

"Didn't the officer use experimental Siren tech the other day?" Cavour questioned with a wary glance

Elizabeth muttered, "Seems like he's trying to get himself killed before the Sirens even launch an attack."

"You don't suppose the Sirens' disappearance is tied to that Enterprise's arrival? If so, then we have to track down the remaining leaders and squash them," Washington suggested, ready to unleash a volley of her batteries

Mikasa spoke, "In any case, we should make sure that the Admiral and those he finds worthy to become his brides are happy. We must be vigilant until our enemy is gone for good."

The group of ladies all silently nodded in agreement. One by one, they left the conference room to get some sleep.

* * *

**Please leave a review if possible**


	16. Chapter 16

**Hey everyone, here's another chapter. After this, I'm going to focus on more fluffy material I originally wanted to do. So stay tuned for that.**

* * *

Another day awakened the Admiral in his quarters with harsh rays forcing him out of slumber. His late night departure from France threw off his sleep schedule enough to where he spent the remainder of yesterday resting. No one dared bother him when he wasn't sleeping well due to his short fuse and ranting. At some points, push the officer enough and one could see his personality become that of Roon. Sleep was very important to him and all the shipgirls respected that at least, for the most part.

Today was the day that he got to travel for an opera show. The trip alone shouldn't be as long since Sardegna was much closer to the naval base. Walking over to his desk with a fresh cup of coffee, Shikikan began to look into files on his new priority ships. He had gotten familiar with Gascogne but the others were still a mystery to him. Two battleships, a destroyer, a light cruiser, and a 'super' cruiser. How did Command classify a 'super' cruiser compared to a heavy cruiser?

Thankfully his quarters were insulated well since the snow outside had not gone away. It wouldn't be warm until next month, if the weather predictions were anything to go off of. Then again, the Sirens have screwed over the Earth's weather a few times with their tech. Thankfully High Command tracked down their signals and left his fleet to take them out. One step closer to bringing the planet back to normal, or as close to normal.

"I should probably go for some muscle training," the Admiral mused to himself before turning to his kitchen to whip up some breakfast

The door to his office was opened which made the man look back confused. Nobody was supposed to come in unless it was…

"Although much better than usual, Sirius still has much to learn from your filthy room, Master," a flat tone rung in his ears

A part of him wanted to roll his eyes when he recognized the voice. The very blunt maid known as Sheffield that served as a spy for Queen Elizabeth. Probably one of the few shipgirls that had a fascination with firearms due to her rigging using firearm-like designs. Her blank expression rivaled that of Gascogne but at least the maid could show expression when she wanted to. Although, Shikikan never gave her a secretary duty since the maids had more important matters.

Unless Queen Elizabeth sent her on purpose. Except, that was stretching the imagination.

"What brings you here, Sheffield?" the Admiral asked, returning to prepping his own breakfast

"Orders to serve you. I see George V has taught you well," the light cruiser replied back

He scoffed at the name, "I knew how to cook before George joined the fleet. She just so happened to refine my technique."

"You only knew how to prepare rations and basic needs at most, Master."

"_Ouch, Sheffy is being super blunt today." _

As the man prepared his own meal, Sheffield's gaze went towards the holstered revolver that lay at his desk. Her amber eyes lighting up while making her way to 'clean' the area in the meantime. Her small hands gripping around the rubber grip with her nimble fingers trailing over the weapon's surface. In a few moments, her fingers began to disassemble the weapon with ease despite it being completely unique. The chamber gently placed on the desk with the body beginning to be polished by the maid.

The entire time, the officer watched her with awe, "I take it you're a gun nut."

The polishing stopped in an instant, Sheffield's body tensing up, "A maid must know her weapons and how to maintain them properly, Master."

"That's not your weapon." he pointed out

"Yes, it is not. But you clearly don't take care of it," she said right back

"I've only fired it once."

"You should be firing it more often to ensure it can protect you during battle."

The Admiral dropped the conversation since there was no point in speaking with Sheffield without being told off. It wasn't just him she had this rude behavior towards. Anyone outside of her superiors got this treatment unless she was awfully gracious that day. The only other one to get some form of kindness was Edinburgh. Although, Edinburgh was a bit of a clutz with their missions so Sheffield was often making up the difference.

"Well, I'll be gone all day and I won't return until early morning. Make sure no one is in my room unless their dropping off mail, reports, or something important. I expect it to be spotless," Shikikan said firmly, taking on a hardened officer expression since the maid only responded to such authority loyally

"Understood, Master."

After a quick breakfast, the man left the room to be taken care of by Sheffield. The light cruiser doing her duty to make the room spotless as ordered. Except, when her eyes landed on the officer's closet, she looked around the room to check for any shipgirls nearby. With none outside the bedroom or near the windows, she opened the closet and plucked out one of the many collared shirts available. The shirt in Sheffield's hands was a bit wrinkled but what the maid did next was something only she knew.

Bringing the shirt close to her face, she sniffed for any odors of the Admiral. A look of bliss fell upon her face with her cheeks slightly blushing before she quickly returned back to normal.

* * *

The Admiral felt a sense of relief once he left Sheffield to her duties. He couldn't understand that girl no matter how hard he tried to be nice to her. At least she was a great fighter within the Maid Corps along with Sirius. He pushed those thoughts out as he made his way towards the gym to get a proper routine going while being light on his legs. He hadn't gotten clearance to do any intense training from Vestal so the upper body was getting all the work today.

The Admiral wanted to check on the Hipper's progress with the battle armor since it had been roughly two days since they last spoke. Surely something had to been done since then. So, taking a detour, he made his way towards Akashi's shop to see the report. The snow made his feet feel heavier this time around since his shoes dug into the snow-covered ground.

The door opened to reveal a Hipper asleep on the floor with tools still in her hands and various other items scattered around the lab. Some looked to have been from the Ironblood's personal equipment room with datapads holding various details on the project. The armor was currently just a metal frame with the plating set on a table along with a Wisdom Cube that was no smaller than a sugar cube. Must have been the power source keeping the power armor going.

"Hipper, you awake?" the Admiral chuckled while inspecting the various parts for himself

"ZzzzZ….dummkofp...ZzzzzZ," the heavy cruiser muttered in her sleep while drooling onto the floor

The officer rolled his eyes while grabbing the helmet, looking inside to see if there was anything he hadn't noticed from earlier. Nothing seemed off from the interior except for one little patch with faint writing on it. Upon closer inspection, the man was rewarded with a couple of numbers that reminded him of a game. A game he and his brothers used to play all the time during the short rest periods during the war.

Twenty-One

Sounds of explosions and gunfire rang in officer's ears as he remembered the fateful day. He was just a junior officer on Martin's flagship when it all happened. They were just a fleet traveling to reinforce a position when one of the Sirens attacked and shredded half of the fleet including one of the ships carrying his older brother. A shredded ship broke in two and dragged all those onboard to the depths without a hint of mercy.

His younger brother was not part of the fleet but the airbase was attacked at the same time. too coincidental for both a fleet and an airbase to be attacked at once. Since then, Martin had requested Shikikan be stationed at this naval base away from the front lines for a time. There weren't any shipgirls at the time but he did find some peace to be fit for command. From there, he got to meet the shipgirls for the first time and begin forming his own fleet.

Part of him felt the Sirens had planned this whole thing from the very beginning. A sentiment that was shared among the factions with how events turned out. Putting the helmet back onto the table, the Admiral looked back at the sleeping Hipper. She shouldn't have stayed up to get all this stuff disassembled, but he was appreciative of her dedication. If she were awake, he would have told her how good of an older sister she was.

The thought of her probably going full tsundere on him forced a smile. Well, now it was time to get some upper body training since Hipper still had much to do. Leaving the shop, he returned back to the route. The base was calm, peaceful, and silent with many of the shipgirls still indoors either asleep or staying away from the cold. He hoped that he and Cesare could just an opera without the others butting in.

* * *

"I thought this was going to be just us,"

"I tried...but they insisted for your safety."

Shikikan grumbled as he stood on Cesare's bow. The battleship being protected by the other Sardegna ships sailing in front as a vanguard. He had hoped there wouldn't be a need for an escort but again, he was denied such luxuries. His life was in danger the same amount each day since this war had started. What was the necessity to protect him as their lives depended on it?

Although, the Sirens were always tricky enemies to deal with. Any moment could lead to a sudden battle group coming out of their portals to ambush their enemy. Their silence didn't make it any better. No reports of secret weapons being constructed in the polar regions or any coastline. No reports of Siren ships in any of the seas.

Just silence.

"Cesare, do you think the Sirens are up to something?" the man finally asked with boredom sinking in

The woman looked towards him in confusion, "They are always scheming. Why such a redundant question?"

"Because this isn't like them to have no fleets anywhere on the planet. Not a single trace of them for months."

"I see...You believe they possibly escaped into a separate timeline?"

The Admiral thought on it but shook his head, "No. I think they're gathering strength since we are more than capable of pushing them back."

"That makes more sense. It's possible they could be preparing for a final assault, but it's hard to tell." Cesare muttered as she turned to look at the ocean, "Have you taken my advice to heart?"

"A bit, but when I'm dealing with some very 'unique' individuals, it's kind of hard to assert myself," the officer admitted

"Like whom?"

"A particular kitsune, a certain queen, and our little narcissist," the Admiral answered while taking a quick glance towards Littorio

Cesare nodded, understanding the shipgirls the man was referring to, "Ah yes, those three. Are you sure there aren't any others that have been giving you trouble?"

"Not that I can think of. I've heard a new batch of shipgirls would be arriving from the Sakura Empire. Then the Eagle Union has three battleships coming in after their voyage held nothing. No, I can't think of anyone else,"

"Naturalmente, I would not mind sparing with these Eagle Union battleships or taking on Warspite once more,"

The Admiral nodded, wanting to see the Italian battleship take on the famous Warspite in another long-range competition. His attention went back to the sea as the land was nearing, the edge of Italy that made the 'boot' of Europe. The port of Augusta was in sight, a landing zone the Allies used back in the Second Great War. Now, it was one of many ports this country used for trade since the nations had finally banded together.

"So is this where we're docking?" he asked

"No, we'll be swinging around to Marsala before taking a trip to the Teatro Massimo," Cesare answered as the fleet began to turn to their left, hugging the coastline

Another hour of travel and the Italian fleet began to make preparations to dock in one of the ports. The escort fleet allowed Cesare's vessel to enter first before they followed suit. Once docked, Shikikan made his way off the ship and onto the Italian port that he never saw with his own two eyes. He had gotten to the island of Sardinia once but that expedition was short since the Royal Navy had beaten the Sardegna Navy to a pulp.

Was it really a fair fight when the Royal Navy had aircraft carriers and the Italians didn't bother making any?

Once the rest of the fleet had docked, the group was happily transported from the docks due to the efforts of the locals. Risking your life for humanity had its perks, the local populace of many countries giving their thanks in some form. Whether it was free food or a free night at a hotel, the Admiral couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy. He hardly did anything but strategize the battle fleets, it was the shipgirls who did all the hard work. Without them, humanity would be extinct by now.

Packed in a Fiat, the Admiral looked out the window to see the Italian countryside. The daylight sun exposing the beautiful green land that once housed the Roman Empire thousands of years ago. It reminded him of that vision he had, the one with his counterpart. This place would be nice to take a vacation away from the military. Somewhere away from all the worries to settle down and maybe have a family. His mother would love to be out here.

"Something on your mind, Ammiraglio?" he heard Cesare question him since he had been silent since the docking

Annoyingly, Littorio had decided to come with the two in this car while the other girls had taken a second car, "Cesare, he's clearly admiring our beautiful country. Such beauty does not last long in conflict. Soak it in while you can, Ammiraglio."

"That was strangely a wise thing to say, Littorio, " the officer noted, tearing his gaze away to look towards the woman who sat in front seat

The Italian woman brushed her hair away from her face confidently smug, "I know the faces of men who clearly want something after devoting themselves to ceaseless war. If you ever have any reservations needed to be dealt with, be sure to bring it up to me."

Shikikan rolled his eyes with a smirk of his own, "Taking lessons from Zara I see. Are you practicing to serenade Illustrious?"

Cesare stifled a laugh as Littorio tensed up at the mention of the aircraft carrier. Cesare mentioned how the battleship was fascinated with Illustrious when they met in battle. As far as anyone was concerned, it was not romantic in any way. The Admiral just assumed Littorio wondered how ships with no guns of their own could change the tide of battle when battleships once ruled. A sentiment that Mikasa shared but it couldn't be helped.

"Aha, I see that you're joking. It's apparent that someone fed you that intelligence," Littorio replied, trying to hold onto her bravado

"I have my sources,"

"Does it happen to be one of those Royal Maids? It's surprising that you haven't had any of them 'service' you,"

The officer replied, "Protocols dictate that I ca-"

"Does that explain that night with Akagi?" Littorio had effectively flipped the pressure with Cesare's eyes going towards him instantly for confirmation

Shikikan, likewise, was stupefied that Littorio somehow learned of this. He had High Command wipe off all evidence, "H-how did you.."

"Cavour told me," Littorio smirked, looking at one of the many roses she had with a smug look

Cesare couldn't hold her tongue any longer, "How did Cavour learn of this? You're not saying…"

Littorio gently picked off the thorns of the rose as she answered, "She's took over Veneto's seat at the council since Veneto was busy. Mikasa mentioned our little Ammiraglio has already promised three of the Sakura women."

"I didn't see any of them wearing rings besides Takao. Meaning…" Cesare said out loud before putting her fingers to the bridge of her nose in irritation, "You let them do that to you."

The metaphorical glass shattered around the Admiral with his little secrets having been found out. It wasn't the fact that he promised three women of the Sakura, he already did that with the Ironbloods. It was the fact that for as much of a man believing in protocols, he broke them if someone pushed hard enough.

"Don't worry, Ammiraglio, this will be just between us. No one else besides the council knows of this, although I do wonder what the Royal Navy would think? That little Queen Elizabeth gets so easily flustered," Littorio giggled

No response from the officer. He just looked down with an extreme blush on his face with the shame of having those two events unfolded. It could have been worse but now Littorio had all the cards in her hand and Cesare was no doubt upset about this revelation. If the other factions learned of this, a civil war would erupt on the base. He could imagine it now.

Ironbloods and Royal Navy squaring off once more to prove who was the superior faction between them. Eagle Union and Sakura throwing themselves at each other in a war of attrition while the Iris would probably go into their own little civil war. Then again, they served him so the worst thing would be they claw each other for his affections. That was something Shikikan didn't want to happen.

Littorio won this round. He greatly underestimated how cunning she was underneath that overconfidence.

"You want something don't you?" the Admiral asked waringly

"Oh yes, a rematch with the Royal Navy without their aircraft carriers," the Italian woman answered

Both the officer and Cesare just stared at such a stupid demand considering the amount of blackmail Littorio had on the man. All this for a rematch?!

Cesare was the first to speak, "Che cosa? Why didn't you ask them yourself?"

"To prove that Littorio outshines even the Ammiraglio. Victory is so sweet."

Shikikan sighed in relief as this allowed him to keep that secret down until this whole mess with the war and these girls were over. There was no way that was all Littorio wanted from him. Something more was behind that confidence she shined out.

What was she up to?

* * *

The rest of the drive was less chaotic and more focused on observing the Italian country. By nightfall, the group had arrived at one of the most famous opera houses in Italy, Massimo Theater. There was a long line of course but thanks to the group's reputation, mainly on the Admiral's, they got a special pass through. No doubt the crowd would be a bit peeved to have waited a long time only for a smaller group to walk in easily.

Shikikan was once more thrust into an old world with the architecture of the building being an entity of its own. Plenty of floor seating with many private booths for guests to observe on either side of the stage. With the lighting on, the gold shone out to mystify those who had never had the luxury to visit such a monument. Above was a painted ceiling that hardly competed with those of the cathedrals but was no less amazing. Gold and red, such beautiful colors to witness in the interior.

At least the rest of the Italian ships had the courtesy of leaving the couple to observe the play by themselves. Carabiniere did here usual job of guarding the entrance of their booth although she was only armed with a saber instead of her rifle. Even with the peace, the Admiral was able to bring momentarily, the officials weren't going to let them bring guns into a theater.

Awaiting the play to begin, the officer took this moment to speak to Cesare, "Look, I'm sorry about...what Littorio revealed. I thought that stuff was under the rug but I deeply miscalculated. I should have never let myself go that far."

"Why are you apologizing to me? I was looking out for your safety once this whole compromise began. Messy business it is. Signore, perdonaci," Cesare replied back

"So you're not mad?"

"I never said that."

Shikikan frowned, "You're really bothered by that aren't you?"

Cesare's answer was to take one of her gloves and slap the man across the face in tempered anger. His face stung for sure but this was nowhere what the Italian battleship could do to him. For as long as he had known her, the punishment was much harsher than this. The Admiral expected more force behind the slap or a punch. He did deserve that after his whole copulation between Akagi and Shoukaku was unveiled.

If his mother found that out, well, she could probably hit harder than Cesare even for an old woman.

"Better?" he asked, resisting the urge to sooth his red cheek.

"Si,"

The lights dimmed as the seats on the ground were filling up quickly. It took less than twenty minutes for the crowd to arrange themselves and fill the entire theater. The lights turned off to shroud the audience in darkness while stage lights sprang to life to reveal a red curtain covering the stage. Minutes passed by before the curtain was raised to reveal the stage set with the back wall revealing a scene within an Italian town.

Actors came on stage and began to sing in the Italian tongue. The only bad part about this whole trip was Shikikan unable to understand what was being said, only using body language as an interpretation.

But there was little the officer could figure out, "Cesare, what are they singing?"

The battleship was focused on the opera with the words of the Admiral breaking her out of concentration, "Conversations. The woman is Tosca, a young lady who is madly in love with her friend, Cavaradossi. This is set within Rome during the Napoleonic Wars so Italy was not unified per se. Scarpia, the corrupt official, is also madly in love with Tosca and plots to have her for himself."

Shikikan nodded, still finding it hard to keep track of what was going on but at least Cesare gave him the synopsis. This opera felt like one of those dramatic shows his mother was always into but the man couldn't stand watching. The more he thought about it, the more he was beginning to this his own life was now a drama. Tangled up romances to help keep the factions together when humanity needed to be united.

An hour passed before an intermission allowed everyone to walk around to either refresh themselves or relieve themselves. Cesare had gone to the restroom leaving the man to wait and think. He didn't notice Littorio enter the booth until she sat next to him with a cheeky grin on her face and that rose in her hands.

"I see Cesare left her mark on you,"

The officer rolled his eyes, "What is it you want, Littorio?"

Bemusement danced in her eyes as she twirled the rose in her hands before presenting it, "A little recompense gift. Cesare is shy to reveal her feelings to you, Ammiraglio. Like the Roman general that conquered before him, she likes decisive action. Taking you to the opera was her idea so I suggest you make a night she won't forget."

Shikikan turned towards the battleship warily, "You're not suggesting I give her the same treatment are you?"

Littorio stifled a laugh, "No. That is up for you to decide. Take my words seriously, Ammiraglio, I know a lot of things about romance."

With that declaration, Littorio left the rose on Cesare's seat before departing for her own. Her words weaving their way into the officer's mind easily. Was she also going after his affections but hiding it under her aura of superiority? There was truth behind it all but it still didn't sit well. Perhaps she too was awaiting him to make some decisive actions.

Only time would tell. But for now, the Admiral took the rose and hid it near his leg. He had a plan formulating, a plan he was going to take an initiative once it presented itself. The lights dimmed once more as the audience made their way back to their seats. Cesare soon came back to the private booth and the play began its next act.

* * *

Within the next couple of hours, the play had ended in quite a somber tone. From what Shikikan could gather as Cesare explained to him, Tosca had made a deal with the devil to save her lover. Yet, she was stabbed the villain in the back with her lover ending up dead despite her efforts. As a result, she committed suicide before anyone could catch her. The crowd erupted in applause as the curtains closed for the final time.

"That was pretty good," the Admiral commented, sitting up to stretch his sleepy appendages

Cesare hummed, "Yes, I'm glad we were able to attend. Let us depart before it becomes early morning. We will rest once we make it back to base."

As the woman was about to leave the private booth, she felt one of her glove hands gripped firmly, stopping her in place. She turned back to the Admiral only to be pulled towards him with Littorio's rose being held in his other hand. His heart was racing with his mind debating if this was a good time to enact his plan. But with his actions having already gotten him this far, he might as well go through with it. A heavy blush was very noticeable on the man.

Cesare looked at Shikikan's chocolate with her magenta in confusion, "Che cosa siete…?"

Her words were silenced when he pulled her closer so their bodies were flush and darted his face to meet hers. Lips meeting lips as the officer had taken the only chance he had. Cesare's eyes almost doubled in size with the contact before her cheeks went as red as her eyes. Although, her body loosened up and she didn't try to push him away. Good thing the crowd had dispersed or they would be greeted with a sight.

Thirty seconds passed before the Admiral pulled away to breathe. He braced for Cesare to retaliate against his aggressive push since she hadn't been in a good mood lately. He felt his collar tightly gripped before being pulled towards Cesare, only for her to return the favor. This time it was the officer who was stunned. Any resistance either of them had was quickly gone as they surrendered themselves.

Cesare eventually let him go, heaving for air while her heart was beating quickly, "Per quanto?"

"Hm?" Shikikan replied back

"How long were you going to wait for that?" she emphasized as her rosy cheeks still presented themselves

"Honestly, I'm not sure. Will you forgive me?"

"Not quite…"

Neither of them could continue on as the door opened to the private booth revealing Carabiniere giving them an expectant look. Cesare straightened her uniform before leaving the booth with the officer in tow. They could finish their conversation once they began the journey back.

* * *

Out in the open seas, a portal opened up just above the water before a lone figure jumped out. Without trouble, the figure floated above the water's surface while looking out towards the naval base many miles away. Her long hair flowed with the ocean breeze while her jacket flowed erratically. Some of her hair grew to cover her right eye but her left still caught sight of her destination.

"Ash, I hope your faith in our Commander wasn't misled. Even he could not stop the Sirens, what makes you think this one can?"

* * *

**Ok. A little bit longer on this chapter. Leave a review and tell me how you're liking the story so far. Until then, stay tuned**


	17. Chapter 17

"So, what has changed since the last time I put this thing on?"

Shikikan was in the lab while wearing the exosuit, finding it much lighter than last time and fitting flush with his body. Hipper was typing away at a computer with precision as data flew by the screen. The appendages near the back of the armor formed a more familiar rigging but did not have any sentience. There were open sections of the armor that revealed to have some form of thruster system to compensate for the Admiral's humanity. The only thing the suit lacked was weapons of its own.

"So much junk. I had to remove almost half of the unnecessary systems just to get it working correctly. Whatever your counterpart made, it was rushed," Hipper finally spoke, exiting the program

Shikikan looked at the helmet for a moment before putting it on. Just like the last time, the armor sealed to provide maximum protection and to prevent the helmet from falling off. The visor lit up with numbers flooding the officer's vision momentarily. They stopped and the visor cleared itself to allow full vision. Writing appeared on the left side of his screen with an outline of the armor on his left as the system booted itself up.

_Systems initializing ...Done_

_Power Check...Maximum_

_Host's vitals...Stable_

_Welcome back, Admiral._

"So, these modifications you made…" he began, looking at the open sections where the small thrusters were inserted

Hipper scoffed, "Modifications? These were improvements. Those thrusters were taken from disabled Siren ships and repurposed to give you the speed to match a light cruiser. I was able to put in a shielding unit like mine but watch how much you use it."

"Limited charge?"

"Ja, this is still a prototype. I'm going to need a few more days before I can finalize it for weapon usage."

"How about movement?"

Hipper smirked, "Don't worry, it won't glitch out like last time. I made sure of it."

"You say that but that requires field testing to prove it," Shikikan retorted, secretly eager to get this thing ready to go as soon as possible

Hipper grumbled, "Fine, dummkopf."

The Admiral grinned before the pair made their way to the docks. The weight of the armor was hardly there with Hipper's improvements. It felt like a full body harness rather than an exosuit with how simple it was to move in it. There was a flat joke to be made here but Hipper probably wouldn't be very fond of the idea.

Snow continued to fall from the cloudy skies above, light flakes resting nicely on the cold steel of the armor. It had been almost a week since the snow began and efforts to keep it from swamping areas of the base became a daily chore. Akashi complained daily about her store being barricaded in a snowy fortress thanks to the mischief of Abercrombie. Thankfully the Manju and bulins made for an excellent workforce to get rid of it or shove it somewhere else. In fact, where did all the excess snow go?

Hipper had a datapad in her hand as the officer slowly stepped onto the ocean. Unlike last time, he found himself easily standing on the watery surface without falling into it. What was the science in how the shipgirls pulled this off? Unclear, the Admiral slept off on the explanation and just decided it was some science/magic explanation for it all. But at least he too could now travel on the water without falling into the abyss below. That is, with the armor on.

Hipper smiled with the result, "Ausgezeichnet, let's go for a lap around the naval base at a slow speed. Whatever you do, don't redline it."

"Redline?" Shikikan questioned, "Oh, there's a maximum speed for this thing. Got it."

Like Hood was teaching him last time, the officer leaned forwards a bit as the thrusters responded by activating through the open sockets. The water behind him rippled with the forces pushing against it. Once out of the port, the man shifted his weight to turn to the left and begin his second test run. Again, like butter, the armor reacted to his desires and allowed him to turn without issue.

"So, how was the date?" Hipper voice was heard through the helmet's communication device

Shikikan reminisced on yesterday's date with Cesare. The whole debacle with Littorio holding sensitive information but also giving him some sound advice. The trip through Italy to attend an opera that Cesare had planned for weeks but was delayed due to stormy weather. Most importantly, the kiss he shared with the Italian battleship that had been so focused on looking out for him.

"It was fine," he finally answered

Flying through the water was quite relaxing when there wasn't anything shooting at you or trying to follow some agreement. Apparently there was a council of shipgirls that oversaw the entire thing in order to keep the peace. Cavour was one of them, as Littorio revealed, but who were the others and why was there a council? Were they going to conduct the wedding ceremonies? In fact, how were those marriage ceremonies going to be conducted?

When Shikikan married Eugen, it was just her and Nimi with the celebration being conducted with everyone in tow. The Royal Navy had allowed the use of their ballroom as a makeshift ceremony and to be frank, it was an unforgettable event. So, would only the factions be able to see the ceremony or was everyone going to be there? Wouldn't it be tiring to sit through all those ceremonies?

"Hey, Schwager," Hipper's voice rang again, "After the war, do you and Eugen plan to...you know…?"

"Do what?" the Admiral replied although this was oddly familiar

"Have kids, baka! It's not like I want to be an auntie or something."

Shikikan sighed, annoyed with the question that had plagued him lately, "I haven't talked to Prinz about that nor do I have that planned as of right now. Why is everyone asking me that question?"

"You tell us about the fate of your counterpart and the possible implications on your own life and you don't expect those who care for you to go further?" Hipper angrily retorted before calming herself down, "You're a young man at a perfect time to begin having a family. It's only natural that the girls you've been dating are looking into settling down."

"If only it were so simple…"

He passed by the Sakura section of the island, seeing Zuikaku and Shoukaku relaxing under a sakura tree that still held its flowers. The elder of the sisters spotted the man, waving at him from a distance. Shikikan returned the wave and continued onward around the island to complete the test run. That night at the Royal Ball came to the forefront of his mind with Hipper's earlier words coming into effect.

Not all of them wanted kids, right? Then there was High Command with their back and forth in him possibly able to impregnate or not. Just how were they testing those studies? Were they taking a wisdom cube and trying to integrate human sperm or egg cells into it? Those things were magical but probably not like the average person thought them as. If it could be done, the thought of making children like that horrified him.

"Everything's looking good from what I'm reading over here, you can increase your speed," Hipper's voice broke through

"Don't redline it? Right?"

Hipper sighed angrily with the officer laughing before leaning forward to increase his speed. He passed by some more shipgirls who were on patrol, giving them a wave as they stared at him incredulously. Turning his head to look out to the ocean, he spotted three figures off in the distance. Large figures, warships. Must be the Eagle Union battleships finally coming around to join the fleet.

Ending back at the docks quickly, the Admiral took off his helmet and watched the three warships approach slowly. They were Eagle Union by design and those main guns they held, sixteen inch batteries, were magnificent to behold. A good amount of the Sakura battleships also possessed such firepower but not too many of the Eagle Union. All their hulls looked similar if not the same but the women standing at their bow were not like the other shipgirls. One with pale hair, one with dark black and the last being ginger.

"Colorado-class battleships, I haven't heard of them since the surprise attack at the beginning of the war," Shikikan muttered

"I thought they were sunk," Hipper commented, "Eagle Union have some resilient fighters."

"They were, temporarily, but repair crews were able to get their hulls back to working condition. Although, High Command never told me about them ever since then. I wonder what they've been up to."

As the trio got closer, Hipper only looked at the women for a few seconds before angrily scoffing, "Make sure to bring back the suit before you go to the office."

Shikikan didn't bother asking what got Hipper in such a bad mood when it was evident. All three of the Colorado-class shipgirls were nicely racked but not overly abundant like some shipgirls. Their attire was on the verge of going 'edgy' as some of the younger officers liked to call it. All three having blood red colored eyes that only perpetuated the stereotype further. Hopefully they didn't talk about death like Erebus and Terror.

Their battleships began docking procedures with Manjus having repair tools ready and bulins carrying oil to refuel the massive ships. The three women walking onto the docks to meet the officer of the base. When they approached him, the pale haired of the group stepped forward and gave a salute.

"Colorado-class battleships at your service. The Big Seven are under your command, Co-"

"It's Admiral. High Command sent you?" the officer corrected before returning the salute

The woman in front of him placed her hands behind her back like any standard soldier would do when around high ranking officials. The other two followed suit with such precision that it would make veterans envious.

"Yes sir, our current task had been disbanded. We were tracking Siren signals around the planet but whatever had arrived outpaced us,"

"Not exactly hard to outpace battleships of your size. Designation?" Shikikan commented, looking at the three to get their names

"Colorado," the pale haired one stated

"Maryland," the ginger answered back

"West Virginia," the dark haired one muttered

"Welcome to the base. I'm sure High Command briefed you on what goes on around here and who I am. So, I won't need to introduce you to anything. That being said, I am well aware of the Big Seven's reputation and I am happy to have you join the fleet," the Admiral gave a nod with a welcome smile.

Maryland then spoke up, "High Command mentioned you have quite a few battleships from the enemy on the base."

The officer frowned instantly, "They're not the enemy anymore. Treat them like you would any of your Eagle Union sisters. I have enough on my plate to keep the peace with a particular few individuals causing trouble."

"I wasn't going to shoot them, sir. I wanted to test their mettle in an exercise. We, in the Big Seven, don't like sitting around," Maryland answered back with a cocky smile

Cesare came the Admiral's mind as he spoke, "If you want an exercise, make sure to have it cleared with your opponent. Vestal will be standing by at all times to heal any injuries. Anymore questions?"

None of them answered, allowing the man to breathe easy, "You are all dismissed. Colorado, later on today, meet me in my office. The girls around the base will be happy to show you where that is."

They gave him a salute before departing from the docks. The officer was not liking the fact the Colorado sisters still viewed shipgirls once part of the Crimson Axis as enemies. He understood they had some ill will against the Sakura considering Maryland and West Virginia were some of the battleships that got sunk during Pearl Harbor but that wasn't a reason to hate the Sakura. At least, make that hatred turn into a competitive spirit to improve oneself instead of seeking to destroy the enemy.

"_Let's see if the Big Seven are as strong as their reputation states."_

* * *

After dropping off the equipment at Akashi's lab, the Admiral made his way towards his home. There wasn't anything he particularly wanted to do today nor anything he had to do. How long that would last for? Probably a few hours before something happened or he got bored. Hopefully 'those' kind of events never happened again or the officer was keeping the gun on him at all times

Entering his room, the very first noticeable thing was the shine of Sheffield's cleansing operation. The wood of the cabinets and floor looked brand new with polish brightening up the room. A lemon scent was evident in the room, freshening the air a bit. That all was ignored as the sound of something cooking was heard. A closer inspection proved that assertion correct as someone was indeed cooking.

A known shipgirl for a massive appetite and passion for cooking. King George V, George for short, was whipping something up in Shikikan's room. The sister of Wales and York was preparing some sort of soup since she had a large pot on the stove. She had taken off her cape and had it hanging on a chair.

"George? What are you doing in my house?"

The British woman, a Knight Commander, smiled warmly, "Is it not the duty of a woman to not cook? I simply couldn't resist the luxury you have in the kitchen."

Shikikan crossed his arms over his chest, "I doubt that. Let me guess, the maids banned you from the kitchen."

George winced with her smile turning into a nervous one, "Actually, everyone banned me from their respective kitchens."

"I wonder why," he replied sarcastically, "What are you making?"

"Hm~ I watched the Sakura make miso soup and felt I should try my hand at it. This is my fourth attempt at it."

"It's just the liquid with some seasoning right? Not very complicated unless yo-...You tried to make something more out of it didn't you?"

George nervously giggled, turning her head away from the Admiral's gaze, "I might have...altered the recipe a bit to my liking."

Shikikan wanted to facepalm at that very moment but he knew George was a very capable cook even when she made mistakes. If she just didn't try to make the dish turn into something only royalty could eat, then maybe he would ignore it. At the same time, he couldn't deny that he was grateful for the lessons she gave him in cooking for himself. Now he didn't go as far as she did but his cooking had gotten much better since his early years.

"Would you like a bowl, Admiral?" George questioned him, stirring the pot once more to find it satisfactory

The Admiral shrugged, "Sure, why not? I know it's going to be good since you're the one cooking."

Soup sounded really good right now considering the cold weather and he hadn't had miso soup in a long time. It was a common item among the Sakura but considering the time he had to share between factions, it was a rare occurrence. He had time to kill before he got his meeting with Colorado started.

"Wait a minute, how did you get into my room, George?" the officer suddenly realized as only a few had a spare key to his room

One being held by Belfast since she was the head maid of the group, one being held by Enterprise since she was often the second-in-command, and the last being on the man himself. He slowly turned back to the Royal Navy battleship with a serious gaze crossing him. He expected her to at least get a little nervous about how she got in but instead, she only smiled warmly.

"I caught one of the maids raiding your closet,"

"Huh? Raiding my closet? What for?" Shikikan questioned back in surprise unaware that the someone in the Maid Corps had been getting into his personal belongings

George took her time in grabbing a porcelain bowl before pouring a few ladle full servings of soup and then served it to the officer. She served her own bowl, although with double the amount, and sat next to him.

"Isn't it obvious, Admiral? You have a secret admirer among the maids. Although I'm surprised you haven't noticed any of your shirts missing," George stated.

The Admiral relaxed, "I do lose some shirts when I have to break up some fights or I end up being shot at by a few yanderes on the base. I guess I never really paid attention to that. Do you know who it is?"

"That is not for me to say, Admiral. I can inform you that I caught her and gave her some reprimanding for going beyond her duties. Then I gave her a long talk about she needs to show her love to you if she truly has feelings," the British woman answered

King George V, as straight to the point as ever, "Noted. With what you're saying, I have a general idea who that could be but I guess I'll let them come to me then. Speaking of which, I'm surprised Elizabeth hasn't tried to demand anything of me."

"Ah, Admiral, you clearly don't understand. Her Majesty respects you enough to not demand minor things and being the head of the navy is quite bothersome. To be fair, I wouldn't mind the idea of you being King of the navy. Hm~ I can see it now. King ...Eh...I don't believe you ever revealed your name."

Shikikan frowned at being reminded of what Dunkerque had asked him days ago, "George, you know I hate keeping secrets but I cannot say on my birth name until High Command allows me."

He honestly would tell them all what his true name was but considering the war and how information was hard to keep under wraps, it was an oath of silence on the matter. Files pertaining to the man himself were either burnt, deleted off storage banks, or covered in black ink. That was an early war measure when it became clear that humanity was once again finding itself despite a larger threat in front of them. Two years of espionage and cover ups as leaders and senior officers were valuable targets.

"Those years are behind us, Admiral. We deserve to know. Subordinates should know the battle plan before a battle like a chef must know the recipe," the battleship retorted with a frown

She had a point, they all deserved to know. Even if she used some culinary allegory to get her point across. The officer took a spoonful of soup and ate it as he thought on breaking a safety protocol. Martin probably wouldn't chew him out over it but the rest of High Command? That part was uncertain since it always felt like some political game out there. As far as the world was concerned, he was just 'The Admiral,' or 'Shikikan,' or 'Humanity's Last Chance.'

He finally sighed, making the decision, "Alright. Since you asked...I'll just say it. My mother is a very religious woman so she named me after G-"

The door was opened harshly as Ash came in with a stern look on her face, "Admiral, you should know a Siren gate opened recently."

By the tone of her voice, there was trouble. There hadn't been an attack on the naval base since the Sirens lost one of their major leaders in a surprise attack. For them to attack was bound to happen but the whole base should have been more than capable of repelling any force. The patrols outside the base should have spotted and dealt with the threat. Unless…

"How many Sirens came out of it?" he asked

"One."

"One?" he raised a confused brow

George also didn't understand how only one Siren came out of their gate network. Those portals could easily allow multiple ships to exit and enter without issue. Why would only one ship or shipgirl come out of it?

Shikikan raised the question, "How long ago was this?"

"Last night. I checked for any Sirens within ten miles of here but I couldn't find any despite my detection systems. I think I know who came through it."

"Who?"

"Ember."

Ember had crossed from her timeline into this one again? Did the Sirens change tactics and chose to send an assassin after their greatest enemy when sheer numbers didn't work? It was a smart move since Ember was more powerful than any of the shipgirls on an individual basis, save for the priority ships. However, she was easily outclassed once his girls worked as a group. She had raw power but Ember mostly worked alone.

The Admiral thought hard on the situation, no doubt his life being threatened even more than ever, "Do you think Ember is here to kill me?"

Surprisingly, Ash shook her head, "No, she isn't like that. I suspect she is watching you, judging you from a distance. She must be wondering why I have decided to help you."

George's usual positive demeanor turned serious, "Then shall we prove to her now? If she is demanding a challenge, then surely we can meet her in battle."

"I don't think she's wanting to fight us directly," Shikikan responded, finding it odd for Ember to come towards them so suddenly, "Something is going on. Thank you for the report, Ash. let me know if more Siren portals open up."

Ash gave a nod before leaving the officer alone with the British woman. He had forgotten about what they were talking about as his mind was filled with wonder about Ember. So many questions he had for the woman's goal in all this. Ash had her reasons for being a recent addition in his fleet but what were Ember's intentions? Was she friend, foe, or a neutral party in all this?

"Admiral, your soup is getting cold."

The Admiral snapped from his thoughts to give his subordinate a gentle smile, "Right, I forgot to say it was good."

The British woman returned a smile at his compliment, "I always put my best effort. If you wish, I can cook for you ever night."

"No, no, that would be taking advantage of you. I don't mind the occasional treat but if I allowed this, who knows what the others would think."

"Hm? Ah, you're concerned that fighting will breakout? My dear Admiral, the Royal Navy knows how to conduct themselves if it came to that. If there is anyone you should watch out for is my sister, Duke of York. I hopefully don't need to save you from her once more," George stated, giggling afterward at the memory of saving the bound man from whatever York had planned from him

The Admiral chuckled, "Right, that's good to know."

The next couple of hours devolved back to culinary talk with the officer being the recipient of the woman's love for food. By the end of her stay, she had gone through four full bowls of soup while Shikikan only had two. She was the most boastful out of her sisters but also the most honest. She wasn't one to take a subtle approach to anything and her offer to make him dinner every night was a clear sign of something.

Now there was one last item on his list

* * *

The Admiral sat back in his chair as he waited for the eldest sister of the Colorado-class battleships to enter the office. The small clock in the office was ticking away, back and forth with unending succession. Fingers tapped on the wooden desk with the rhythm of the clock to pass the time. After some time, the door to the office opened up with Colorado stepping inside and slowly walking to the opposing chair.

"I'm going to get to the point, what was your last mission before you were assigned here?" the officer asked while reaching into his desk for a file

"Investigating Siren signatures that appeared a week ago. Our orders were to either capture or eliminate any potential threats," the pale-haired woman answered

Shikikan placed the folder on the desk before opening it to reveal all current information about Ash, "She arrived in that timeframe so it wouldn't surprise me you three were sent after her. She isn't a threat to us, not anymore."

"What about the other one?"

"Ember? Uncertain, best to be on our guard."

Colorado blinked a few times, "If I may be blunt, sir, I am surprised you haven't done any perverted things to the other shipgirls."

"For your information, Colorado, I have morals and protocols to prevent me from doing such things. It doesn't help with the current situation on base," the man retorted, feeling a bit insulted that some viewed him that way

"That being, sir?"

"Let me catch you up to speed. Currently, there was a pact made between the factions to an equal number of their girls marry me to keep the peace. I'm not gonna lie, I honestly found this deal to be ridiculous. Especially as I find myself with three ladies from each faction," the Admiral explained with the shipgirl in front of him showing little expression

"So you have done perverted things to them?" Colorado asked again

"I didn't initialize it, a couple of them did. So don't be surprised when petty arguments arise."

"Alright, sir. Is there anything else you need?"

"For today, no, but be ready for tomorrow. I want to see you and your sisters squaring off with some of the other battleships," Shikikan answered, slouching back a little

"We won't disappoint you, sir. You might want to look out for the others once the exercises begin," Colorado replied, getting up and beginning to leave the room

Shikikan watched her leave before sighing in relief that it was over. At least Colorado was pretty serious about her ability and seemed to pose a no nonsense approach like Cesare. What would happen if those two square off against one another? Tomorrow would hold those results so it was best to wait until then. But another question posed itself in his mind.

What would he do for the rest of the day tomorrow? He had gotten on a week's worth of dates squared away so that was off the table until he felt like it. He spent time with every faction save for the priority shipgirls, except for Roon, that stayed to themselves. Yeah, that would be a good idea, spend some time with those shipgirls who only had a life thanks to his efforts. It was the least he could do and he could get to know the new batch.

"_Wait...I feel like I'm forgetting to call som-" _a thought came to his head before he remembered

Picking up the telephone and dialing the secure line to headquarters, the Admiral awaited a response. He almost told King George V his name but if he was going to tell all the girls, he might as well clear it with the higher-ups. The secrecy was unnecessary now and since he was getting married later, it was only fair to get rid of it all.

Someone answered the phone.

"This is the Admiral, I need to speak to the higher-ups on the current protocols since the current situation has changed," Shikikan stated clearly before the line went on hold

Times were changing, mainly for better although the pressure was definitely mounting with all the previous events adding up. Let's just hope he could juggle it all without it all backfiring.

* * *

**So yeah, Colorado sisters are here and our little Admiral is getting closer to revealing his actual name. The suit is getting closer to being ready for combat and is KGV placing her stake in the race? Those answers will be given in the next few chapters so stay tuned. **


	18. Chapter 18

**Ok! I got a special treat for all of you, although I am not good at constructing scenes like this before so take it with a grain of salt. This one got longer and had to go through a rewrite so expect some faults.**

* * *

The next day yielded a nice change of weather for the naval base. The sun was out, although it was still cold enough to warrant a coat. A few stacks of paper from High Command kept the Admiral busy if it weren't for some soreness across his whole body. He couldn't understand where he got it from considering he hardly did anything that worked out his body. In fact, he mostly laid back and had conversations with some of the girls around the base. There was the time he tested the armor but that didn't put any strain on his body.

Either way, he powered through it with the help of some pain medication. Maybe he was getting sick and the soreness was from the illness taking a toll on his body. However, he wasn't feeling drained or his head feeling hazy. Too soon to tell but maybe some time outside will clear out his system and he had a plan set for today. He hadn't properly met any of the second batch of priority ships except for Gascogne so he was going to do just that.

The first place to start, the Sakura Empire. They had a grand total of four priority ships with two of them being new while the other two Shikikan got to know decently. Ibuki, the shy cruiser who really tried to prove herself in front of him. Izumo, the battleship that hungered for conflict and hated sitting around. Those two were complete opposites of each other and that was not an easy problem to deal with when they were first brought on.

It was the late morning by the time the officer had finished his paperwork and moved towards the Sakura dorms. Today's paperwork being formal declarations of having the Colorado sisters being redeployed on the naval base. A few paperwork also were tied to some experimental main guns that would be arriving in the next few weeks. The holiday season was coming up so shipments were going to slow until further notice. Not like the Admiral needed more supplies since there was a lack of conflict.

The trail towards the Sakura was neatly maintained with the snow being pushed off to the sides and leaving the ground littered with petals. No doubt Yamato or one of the older shipgirls ordered the destroyers to keep the path clear. Not that the man minded having some solid ground, the snow can get a bit annoying when he had to sink his feet into it. The sound of swords clashing could be heard in the distance, echoed with the peaceful nature around.

By the time Shikikan had reached the dorms, he found Ibuki sparring off with Kitakaze, the new priority destroyer. Some of the Sakura shipgirls were known to be fast on the blade but with priority ships like those two, it was almost lightning quick. From what his eyes could gather, Kitakaze was barely a blur and moved about the sparring room faster than the taller Ibuki. It looked straight out of a movie he had watched recently but he couldn't remember what it was.

As he got closer, the duel between the two priority ships ended and Izumo appeared to give some form of lecturing to the younger women. Ibuki took the lecturing seriously even though she often took the criticism a little too seriously and beat herself over the little matters. Kitakaze seemed to be attentive to what Izumo was saying before giving a firm nod.

"Morning ladies," the Admiral said as he took off his shoes to enter the sparring room, a Sakura tradition he followed out of respect

"Ohayōgozaimasu, Teitoku/Milord," the three priority ships gave him a bow, but where was Azuma?

"I was hoping to find Azuma as well, do you girls know where she is at?"

Ibuki immediately responded, "Azuma-senpai went on some nighttime commissions with a few some of the others and she is currently asleep. I could wake her if you wish, Milord."

The Admiral shook his head, "No, don't do that. I don't want her in a bad mood. I see that you all are training."

"With no Sirens to fight, it is good to maintain the sharpness of our blades and to test our resolve. Ibuki has improved so much since she was built," Izumo replied, a sense of pride evident in her voice

Ibuki humbly replied, "No, my improvement was only because of your guidance. I only put my effort to reach your expectations."

"Would you like to spar with us, Teitoku-san? Kitakaze will go easy on you," the smaller priority ship questioned, eager for another spar

"Kitakaze! The Admiral would be easily outmatched by us. Please forg-"

Shikikan answered much to Ibuki's dismay, "Sure, I occasionally train with Takao so I'm sure I can keep up. Any objections?"

Ibuki went silent while Izumo seemed eager to test the officer's claim. Since he had no blade for himself, Izumo took one of her katanas and handed it over. Kitakaze, eager to challenge her new superior, stepped onto the sparring floor while the others kneeled patiently. Ibuki, in the past, had trouble showing expressions but now she was showing some concern. He didn't blame her for looking out for his safety considering Kitakaze was very new to the base so her restraint was questionable.

The katana in the Admiral's hand had much more weight to it compared to the bokken he was used to when facing Takao. He gave it a few test swings before feeling confident in how to use the blade. Kitakaze's blade was unique, being longer and having a handguard on the hilt compared to a normal katana. The small destroyer waited a moment before gripping her blade and suddenly rushing the man with such speed that she was a blur. No thought or reason could explain how quickly this shipgirl was.

Expecting a strike for his center, the officer moved his blade to guard against the attack and was rewarded with Kitakaze's half-drawn blade locking with his own. For a second, Kitakaze was surprised that her speed did not overwhelm the man so easily before she then got a determined look and disengaged. There was no time to get a reprieve before the Sakura destroyer went for multiple slashes in multiple directions. Instinct guided the blade as his eyes could not keep up with the smaller woman's movements.

The sounds of clashing steel ringing in his ears and vibrations went through his hands, almost making him lose his grip. Another lock with Kitakaze's blade with her pushing with enhanced strength against him. Surprisingly, despite her clear advantage, he held firm and found himself rocksteady in his guard. This was odd considering that his fights with Takao normally made him use all his strength to just not be pushed around but now he was actually holding his ground without exerting all his strength. That strength training must have done wonders for his body to deal with such a powerful opponent.

All that ended so suddenly when he lost his grip on his blade and found himself on the floor with Kitakaze having her blade in front of his face. Just as his confidence was soaring did reality smack him right down to remind him he was not fast enough to deal with a destroyer.

"Not a bad attempt, Teitoku-san, still room to improve," Izumo commented, retrieving her fallen sword

Kitakaze offered her free arm for the officer to grab, pulling him upwards with surprising strength in her strong body. Once he was on his feet, the man gave a respectful bow which the destroyer returned. The two then left the sparring floor and kneeled with Izumo and Ibuki to rest. A rare time for the Admiral to catch up with his priority ships and get to know the new shipgirl added to his fleet.

"Are there really no Sirens as of now?" Ibuki asked curiously, no doubt wondering if her purpose at being an anti-Siren weapon being pointless

Of course, there was an easy answer, "Technically no. They just haven't attempted any attacks on us and the only one out there is Ember, the Takao from a darker universe."

"Then shouldn't we at least sortie after her. If we leave the enemy to gather their strength, they will come with larger numbers than if we preemptively struck," Kitakaze advised

"If we knew where Ember was and if she was still working with the Sirens. As far as we know, she only worked with them once. I don't know if she'll be our enemy. She might consider helping us like Ash," Shikikan replied, considering the option but it would be a wild goose chase

Immediately, he was faced with the frowns of Ibuki and Izumo while Kitakaze stayed neutral on the matter. Tensions between Ash and the other shipgirls weren't exactly on good terms still even with his blessing. The only good that came out of it was Enterprise hadn't encountered her counterpart face to face since Ash kept to herself. But, that didn't keep the other shipgirls from resenting her due to her hostility in the past.

The Admiral would have tried to defend the idea if his phone hadn't begun to ring. He stepped outside before taking the phone out to answer it.

"This is Shikikan."

A voice spoke on the other end, a voice that wasn't Martin or anyone the officer knew first hand. Probably one of the intelligence agents feeding him some critical information. Either way, he nodded along as hushed words entered his ears to relay the vital details. The Sakura women looked at him to determine if the call was to inform him of grim news or good news. Once the call was closed, the officer's expression turned serious.

"Get your rigging, we're moving out in the next hour," he told them before turning back towards his office to get a few items himself.

Out of the three Sakura women, only Izumo was grinning, "Finally."

* * *

The very next hour came and Shikikan was now in his naval uniform with his gaze turned towards the seas. High Command had given him a tip that they got Siren signatures just miles away from Midway. The mind of the man began to suspect it had to be Ember since she was the only Siren signature out there. It wouldn't make sense for the Sirens to send out one of their own or a small fleet if they weren't trying to wreak some havoc.

His fleet was composed for this very purpose. He gathered up a combined total of twelve ships with all of them being priority ships meant to take on such threats. The fleet was split into two, one hosting his more seasoned veterans while the other fleet composed of the new shipgirls. He made Monarch his flagship with Izumo and Gascogne forming his backline while Roon, Ibuki and Saint Louis formed the Vanguard.

"What are the Sirens planning?" he heard Monarch utter as she stood at the bow of her ship with him

"Something...They are always planning something. Let's have all radar and sonar equipment running in case they try to spring a trap,"

The ocean waters were clear with miles and miles of endless blue sky mirroring them. No mass of Siren ships was anywhere to be seen, yet, they could appear at any time. A quick look through some binoculars revealed nothing. So where were these Siren signatures that High Command informed him about? Something was out there. A tingling sensation was telling him that they were in the right area.

"Everyone stop your engines," he ordered as the fleet began to slow down their speed

Eerie silence fell on the fleet as everyone kept their guard up. Everyone besides Monarch had converted their ships into rigging and began to scout the surrounding area for Sirens. The Admiral felt the sensation growing stronger with every passing second before the reality around them began to warp around them. Unlike the Sirens, the reality around them began to tear itself like a faulty cable line to a TV. Shikikan looked over the side of Monarch as he saw red eyes glowing through the water's surface.

"Hostiles in the water!" the officer bellowed as the fleet began to notice a few other pairs of red orbs moving around them

The pair of eyes that was looking at the Admiral suddenly leaped out of the water to attack him. On reflex, the officer jumped out of the way and took out his revolver to shoot whatever came onto the bow. Thankfully, Monarch was a step in front of him and had stabbed the creature through one of its eyes before pushing the limp body off. When he got a good look at what their attackers looked like, he was horrified.

It looked like something the Ironbloods would have created as the creature resembled a centipede with black and crimson colors adorning its body. The lower half formed a fish like structure so the being could move in the water with the upper body having many small legs to quickly move across the floor. Two red orbs were on its head which was protected by an upper plating of armor with the underside being the only weakness. Its mouth held pincers with many rows of metal teeth to both grip and shred its victims.

"Keep these things at a distance, don't let them get close!"

Another one of these things attempted to spring out of the water towards the Admiral but he had his gun out. He quickly aimed and fired which resulted in the mechanical beast's entire head exploding and sending bits of oil everywhere. The rest of the shipgirls waited till one of the beasts lunged at them before blasting them apart with their main guns. These were hardly a threat to them but a serious threat to the officer in charge.

The sensation that he was feeling only grew as the corpses of these little robots fell into the depths of the ocean. Something else was coming, he knew it.

"Hey Georgia, how many have you gotten?" he heard Seattle call through the communication network

A few blasts of Georgia's secondary batteries followed before her voice filled his ear, "Four...Five...How about you?"

"Only two, why do you always have to get all the fun?"

Under normal circumstances, Shikikan would have chuckled at shipgirls like Seattle livening up the combat with her personality. However, that wasn't a good idea when something else had to be coming. The little mechanical beasts stopped their assault and disappeared from the sights of the humans above the water. The bits of their metal bodies dotted the very surface with traces of oil polluting the clear liquid into a murky black.

"Everyone, stay on your toes."

Fate loved to play tricks on the man as two large red orbs appeared under the water. Seconds later, the water was displaced as something large came out of the depths to face the fleet. Large swaths of water went into the air as waves were created with the enemy revealing itself. Unlike the mechanic crustaceans, this horror was now a serpent with draconic features within its upper body. It almost looked like an upscaled version of Roon and Friedrich's sentient rigging. A night blue and black color scheme adored the armored creature.

With a mighty roar, it looked directly at the Admiral with crimson eyes filled with whatever programs its master had installed. The metal components in its massive mouth began to whirl with gears churning the joints of the creature. If the Sirens had created this thing...What else were they coming up with?

"Child, I believe our guest is wishing to destroy us if we linger here any longer," Friedrich's voice came onto the radio

True to her word, the leviathan of a machine began charging some sort of attack as the fleet just watched, "Load armor-piercing, send it to hell!"

Shikikan had to get off Monarch's ship or she was a sitting duck against this thing's attack. Thankfully he had grabbed something as a safety measure. Before the fleet had departed, he had grabbed the armor from Hipper, despite it lacking any offensive capabilities, and brought it along. Rushing towards the bridge, the officer jumped into the awaiting suit before jumping off the side of the vessel and keeping his distance. Monarch got the hint before her ship turned into rigging and she moved away from the imminent attack.

It was a good thing they did as the creature blasted a red laser where they once were. Steam filled the area as the hot laser clashed against the cold water, evaporating a good amount considering the size of the beam.

"le Seigneur a pitié!" Saint Louis exclaimed before her batteries began to fire at the large mechanical leviathan

The armor-piercing rounds were having an effect as pieces of its armor were blasted off. The creature's slow laser was no match to the shipgirls that could easily maneuver around it. Even so, this thing was heavily armored and the chunks that were blown off were hardly scratching the internal components. There had to be some sort of power source for its attack or the entire creature itself.

"Admiral! Look out!"

Shikikan didn't notice as the lower end of the creature suddenly erupted out of the water and sent the man flying. Thrusters immediately fired to stabilize him before he landed back on the water relatively safe. His hud was filled with warning signs since he was in the vicinity of this dangerous robot. The shipgirls continued to circle around it and unleash volley after volley of AP rounds but the leviathan continued to stand.

The Admiral began to quickly come up with some form of strategy to take this thing out, "Vanguard, keep peppering that thing to get its attention. All battleships, aim for the upper chest region and fire!"

Like clockwork, the prototype cruisers/destroyers unleashed whatever payload they had into the creature to annoy it. Torpedos slammed into the midsection, causing chunks of armor to break and oil to spill out in small quantities. The creature tilted its head into the sky, roaring in fury before a volley of battleship batteries slammed into the upper section. A chunk of armor came off to reveal a large crimson wisdom cube powering the massive thing.

"There! Target that Wisdom Cube!" Shikikan ordered before the monster turned towards him

This time, the leviathan did not bother charging a beam and fired a volley of laser fire from its mouth. The man wasn't trained in how to activate the shielding unit Hipper mentioned yesterday but he had seen Eugen use hers many times in the past. He stuck his hounds out and prayed that the armor responded to what he was thinking. Thankfully, a dome of energy went around him before the laser began to pepper the shield.

Now, what the Admiral didn't know was how painful it was to hold the shield up along with the stamina it demanded. The laser barrage felt like miniature headaches ripping through his brain and his body felt like it was ready to give out in an instant. No wonder Hipper left it at a limited charge, he was nowhere ready to use this thing! Cracks began to form on the dome before it broke and several lasers blasted the interior.

It was at this same moment that the shipgirls fired a volley into the power source, causing the wisdom cube to shatter and the monster to lose all forms of energy. The large mass of metal began to fall, crashing into the water which caused another set of waves.

"Another Siren's superweapon destroyed," Izumo grinned, the barrels of her turrets smoking after the many volleys she had fired

"How many does that make it, two? Three?" Neptune giggled as she prodded the dead mechanical leviathan with her trident

Monarch looked over the beast, stabbing at the dim eyes with her saber before sheathing her weapon, "Roon, Friedrich, these things resemble Ironblood tech do they not?"

"They most certainly do, but this is much too ornate and costly for Ironbloods to produce. Is that right, child?" Friedrich answered, turning towards where she last saw the Admiral to only find the armored man floating above the ocean on his back

"No…" Roon's pupils shrunk before she rushed towards Shikikan's side, picking him up and searching for any wounds

Thankfully, the armor did a good job in keeping most of the lasers out although there were many burn marks on top of the steel. His helmet was relatively unharmed and there were no forms of bleeding anywhere. Roon placed her fingers on the side of his neck to search for a pulse. A faint pulse was felt which relieved the prototype cruiser. The other priority shipgirls rushed over to see for themselves.

Relief flooded their faces to find he was unconscious but fine. Although, they needed to rush back to base before more of those things showed up. As the fleet began to move back towards the base with Roon carrying the unconscious officer in her arms, someone watched them from a safe distance.

"Hm…"

* * *

Shikikan awoke to find himself looking at the ceiling of the hospital on the base. The last thing he remembered before he lost consciousness was the large battle his fleet had gone through. Small robots followed up with a serpent/dragon robot that tried to kill them all. If those were the Siren signatures that High Command warned him about, the Sirens had stepped up their game. Pain flooded his sore body when the man tried to sit up. He felt bandages wrapped around his upper torso with needles inserted into veins that connected him to some IV bags.

He was alone, just him inside a small room. No doubt this had to be Vestal's little clinic since he recognized the room he was in.

"Admiral, are you awake?" a voice asked outside his room

Normally, he would have recognized the voice right away but his mind was a bit slow to remember, "Yeah."

The wooden door at the end of the room opened up to reveal Vestal carrying a clipboard and looking a little tired. Naturally, she smiled towards him before she took a seat next to his bed. Knowing from past experience, Shikikan expected Vestal to have some form of nagging in her speech since she often had to take care of Enterprise, who was just as stubborn as he was.

"How are you feeling, Admiral?" she began sweetly

The officer had to play his cards safely before the storm was released with this woman, "Sore. Are the others alright?"

"Yes, they came back relatively unharmed but you on the other hand…"

"Just give me the short version."

Vestal's smile went down to a frown, "You had multiple first degree burns all over your body with a couple of second degree burns on your chest. Admiral, from what the girls told me, you put yourself in harm's way."

"To be fair," he retorted, "The armor did its job. I didn't even try to fight what was out there and I even kept myself away from the battlefield. It just happened that the enemy chose to go after me instead of the others."

Vestal sighed, "You have a point but that doesn't change the fact you were in danger. Thank god that you only had mild burns."

"How long will I be staying here?"

"Not very long, you've been resting for most of the day and I have already placed appropriate treatment for your burns. I'll have you released by tomorrow. Oh, you have visitors."

This got the Admiral's interest, "Who?"

On cue, the door opened again with Seattle and Georgia entering the room. The two new priority ships seemed to be close friends based on the little interaction from earlier. Of course, he didn't know too much about them since they were new to the base.

"Hey Admiral, you got pretty roughed up," Seattle greeted, a smile on her face that reminded him of San Diego, "Good thing you made it out safe."

"Yeah, could have been worse. I think I'm gonna lay off for a few days, so what brings you ladies here?" Shikikan replied, curious to why they were here since they hardly knew each other

Seattle looked towards Georgia, the battleship not saying a word, "It was Georgia's idea. She doesn't show it right away but she looks after everyone. Right?"

Georgia's dual colored eyes looked towards the light cruiser before turning back to the officer, "Yeah, someone has to look after everyone after a fight. Nobody was hurt besides you. Although, that Ironblood Heavy Cruiser…"

"Roon?" he suggested

"Yeah, she was a bit shaken up by the whole thing. I tried to talk to her but Friedrich assured me that Roon will be ok."

The Admiral smiled slightly, "I appreciate your concern. I can't manage everyone at the same time so any help is nice."

"Oh!" Seattle sprung up suddenly, "Me and Neptune went ahead and planned for a little party tomorrow for your recovery."

Unexpectedly, the officer narrowed his eyes at the priority light cruiser, "Please...don't. I'm not good with parties unless I expect it ahead of time. It always goes bad."

"Aw, come on A-"

"Seattle, I would rather not. Knowing Neptune, everyone is going to hear about it and it'll turn into a party I can't control," the man sighed exasperatedly, "Last time I let Neptune run a party, the Ironbloods brought their entire bar and half of the girls ended up wasted."

"Really?" Georgia raised a brow, "That sounds like hell."

"Yes, yes it was. The worst part was that some of the younger girls got ahold of the alcohol too. I had to ban any drinks for a week until the maids properly drilled them to never drink beer until they matured."

"What about you, Vestal? Did you participate too?" Seattle questioned the repair ship

Vestal giggled nervously, "Well, I...I was sadly under the influence too. Anyway, let's give the man some rest so he can get back to work tomorrow."

The priority shipgirls said their goodbyes as Vestal ushered them out of his room. Finding nothing else to do, the officer closed his eyes and relaxed his muscles. The sounds of his heart monitor beeped into his ears as he slowly drifted back to sleep.

* * *

Shikikan's eyes opened with the night sky suddenly being shown in front of him. Confusion rocked his brain before he found himself laying on top of the ocean next to the corpse of the mechanical leviathan. Rising to his feet, he began to hear faint whispers in his ear along with the sensation coming back to him. Looking towards the fallen beast, the man began to walk closer; every step making the whispers grow in volume and the sensation rising within his chest.

The area that once held the crimson wisdom cube was blown apart and many shards of the former device floated on top of the waves. The whispers began to become more coherent and the words being short phrases that played around.

"_Commander, we can't leave her!"_

"_I can't stop her."_

The shards began to move closer together as the waves rippled around him. The Admiral warily watched the shards began to rise up to reform back into their former shape. The corpse of the beast still lay dormant as this all occurred. The voices continued to play around the man as he recognized one female and another male.

"_Enterprise….promise me…"_

"_Don't leave me…"_

A strong pull and desire to touch the cube coursed through the officer's body. His right arm unconsciously rising and reaching out to touch the reformed crimson cube. Inch by inch, his fingers got closer with a wave of energy emanating from the device. Energy that spoke of power.

"_Protect them...keep them safe...all of them."_

"_I...I'll try."_

"_No...you will."_

Once his fingers had touched the smooth surface of the cube, Shikikan saw red sparks of energy suddenly jolt out and entered his body. All his muscles tensed immediately and he couldn't cry in pain with his throat constricted. Pain shot through his nerves, like napalm running through his veins constantly. The pain became so great that he blacked out.

* * *

Out on the beach under the cover of the night sky, Ash looked at the ocean with cold, emotionless eyes. The very thing that took everything from her and became the grave of so many she knew. Even though this was another timeline, the pain wouldn't go away. Seeing the faces she knew, it only reignited that remorse. Remorse she tried to bury.

"I thought I would find you here," a voice rang out.

Ash turned to her right to find her counterpart, Enterprise, standing there with a mug of coffee in each hand. Strange of her to offer a drink to someone who was an enemy at one point. Why try to show kindness to the darker version of herself?

"What do you want?" Ash questioned, taking one of the mugs to at least satisfy her mirror

"You know what those things were that the Admiral saw?" Enterprise replied, taking a sip of the hot beverage

Moments of silence followed until Ash spoke, "Yeah...Ironblood tech. They shouldn't be here."

"Hm? Why?" Enterprise asked while looking at Ash from the corner of her eye

"Those were the last things humanity built to push the Sirens away. For those to show up...the Sirens are up to something," Ash answered, "That...or someone brought them over."

"You don't think Ember brought them?"

"Possible."

Silence followed the two mirrors before Enterprise broke it, "Did you love your Commander?"

"Yes," the darker mirror answered immediately

"You know…" Enterprise tried to find the words to say to herself, "You could always try with the Admiral."

Ash looked towards Enterprise with a frown, "My time has passed. Yours hasn't. I'm just a weapon for you to wield."

"You're not a we-" Enterprise tried to retort before her counterpart's eyes looked downcast

"Don't give me hope...just don't."

Enterprise wanted to say something more but Ash turned and walked away before her brighter self could have the chance. Enterprise could only watch, taking sips of her coffee to enjoy the night sky on her own.

* * *

**Hey everyone. I hope you liked today's chapter. To answer a criticism, the naval base is in the Pacific. I overlooked that mistake and I thank any of you to point out some flaws. With that said, I hope you guys have good luck in your gacha pulls.**


	19. Chapter 19

A couple of days had passed since the encounter near Midway. The large mechanical leviathan and its smaller drones had been recovered with High Command concluding it was Ironblood tech but more advanced. Upon having the faction look at this, not even Genisseneu knew how to make something that large without the constraint of resources. So, the official declaration was a Siren superweapon but everyone knew that was a lie. That had to come from the alternate timeline which only meant the Sirens were distorting reality for their own fun or someone was bringing them to this timeline. The scientific theories went back and forth with evidence and counterevidence firing full broadsides to make a point.

Not like any of that mattered, only taking out the Sirens permanently was the goal. In good news, the recovered corpses did provide some beneficial armor plating and High Command began to have the R&D begin an experimental laser. Except, the benefits only seemed to have gone purely to the Admiral.

Ever since he had woken from that odd dream of his, Vestal noted he had recovered fully in the morning. It confused the repair ship since second-degree burns should have taken much longer to heal but she just waved it off as mistaking the injuries. From the first day out of the hospital, the officer noted that he felt strangely full of energy and lacking any tiredness. Naturally, he assumed it was the IV bags providing the nutrients to his body instantly that allowed for it but it kept on to the next day. Then there was the time he went to the gym and doubled his bench press weight that disturbed Cesare. Shikikan then went on a jog and was able to keep a steady pace all the way around the island and still have the energy to spare.

Now, he was currently brushing his teeth, looking at the mirror so he could get a rough look at where he was brushing. Then, something seemed off within the glass that bore his reflection. The reflected image having one of its eyes turn red instead of the chocolate brown they normally were. A couple of blinks did not remove the sudden change in color but after he washed his face, the crimson disappeared. Maybe that recent trip still left some mind-altering effects from the medication. Either way, the Admiral shrugged it off and prepared himself for a day that he was looking forward to.

Training day with a finalized version of the armor. Full weapon systems and improved defensive systems that should keep him safe from now on. Shikikan had spent the whole of yesterday to set up today's training for himself. Sure, he had many times of practicing with a sword during his time with the Sakura, but that wasn't his form of combat. Now, he had plenty of basic training in his first days of joining the military along with a few special runs from special forces but those courses taught him nothing for shipgirl vs shipgirl combat. That, he would need to experience for himself and observing the girls; the latter he had plenty of.

"Yo, Admiral, you ready yet?" Hornet's voice called from outside his room

The door opened with the man looking out to find Hornet resting against the adjacent wall with her hat tipped downward. She turned in his direction with her signature smile before pushing herself off the wall.

"There you are," the carrier said with her hands on her hips, "I was beginning to think you would back down from facing my airstrikes."

"If I were to back down, it would be from Enterprise's aircraft. Don't go easy on me now," the officer retorted in a joking manner

"Please, I don't go easy like some of the Sakura. I'll give you a run for your money,"

"Is that a challenge, Hornet?"

The upbeat blond's smile only grew, "You know it, Admiral. So, how did that date with Baltimore go?"

Good thing she had changed the subject because for as much as Hornet was not as strong as her famous sister, that did not mean she was weak. She was strong in her own way with sometimes being able to outperform her sisters. Her specialized Doolittle bombers came in handy for long-range bombing before the main bombing squadrons were deployed. That and she was probably the most agile out of her three sisters, able to avoid multiple airstrikes at once.

"It was good, but she looked like a nervous wreck through it," the officer admitted, "But once we got into an intense game of laser tag, she relaxed quickly."

Hornet chuckled at the image of the confident heavy cruiser being a blushing mess, "Yeah, that's Balti for you. She knows exactly what to do on a battlefield but has no idea how to go on a date. She even asked me how she should dress."

The duo was now on their way to Akashi's lab, the sun being quite warm today and beginning to melt the surrounding snow. Anything less than several inches thick had turned into puddles of water that quickly evaporated. A nice change of pace considering everyone had to wear winter clothing or were stuck indoors, especially in Hornet's case. The beach was now available to enjoy without the problem of snow or freezing temperatures.

"Hey, so, about Ash…" Hornet began with a frown this time, "I know what she did in the past can't exactly be redeemed considering she worked for the Sirens but I can understand her pain."

"She is Enterprise, just from another timeline where everyone else died," Shikikan said, agreeing with Hornet's sentiment, "Why did you bring it up?"

"Because my sister almost went down that path once,"

"I know, I read the report about it. An incident with a Black Mental Cube. All the more reason to be on our guard and support each other lest we fall to the Siren's plans."

The duo arrived at the lab with Hipper looking pretty proud of herself until Eugen made some sort of comment that got the older sister angry. The armor had a few differences from the last time the Admiral wore it, the first being the fact that there were some cruiser guns attached just over the shoulders. The fact that the armor was not a ship made it difficult to add any other guns so that's why the placement was near the shoulders. Hopefully, Hipper installed some sound dampeners or the officer would go deaf within a few exercises.

There was one problem, the lack of AA cannons or some form of weaponry against aircraft, "Hey Hipper, how am I going to take on aircraft if I can't shoot them?"

Hipper, after scolding Eugen for the hundredth time, answered, "Hah? Who said you needed flak guns? This is an entire armor system, not rigging."

"What she means to say, Ehemann, is that you cannot wield both main guns and flak. Sacrifices had to be made," Eugen emphasized since the armor lacked any proper way to use rigging

"Well….Fuck," Shikikan grumbled with Hornet having a shit-eating grin

"What's wrong, Admiral? Saddened you won't have a way to take on my airstrikes? Looks like I'm getting free food for a week."

"Hold your tongue, Fraulein Hornet, Herr Admiral will have other things to take on those pesky aircraft. Don't get cocky now," Hipper countered

Without a pause, Eugen spoke, "Speaking from experience, Schwester?"

Hipper began fuming immediately which only amused the group. Before Shikikan could even react, Eugen decided to turn his way and strutted towards him without shame. Sure, she was officially his spouse but it was no less both embarrassing and sexy. The heavy cruiser then put her hands on his shoulders before crashing her lips into his in a surprise kiss. The man blushed intensely when he found Eugen's tongue into his mouth quite forcefully, putting the kiss into something more sensual. Then, she backed away with a cheeky smile on her lips, slowly licking them like she just tasted candy.

"Good luck~,"

Besides the fuming Hipper and the grinning Hornet, the Admiral could only just stare at the woman he was married to for a few moments. Shaking himself out of his stupor, he made his way towards the armor, opening it up before hopping inside. The plates locked back up with the HUD displaying the startup before making calibrations to its new systems. This would be his first time against an actual shipgirl, not a giant mechanical monster that almost killed him.

"Hipper, Eugen, anything I should know about the changes?" the officer asked with the weight of the cruiser guns being evident on his shoulders, the armor began displacing the weight so it wouldn't hinder him

Hipper was about to speak, but Eugen beat her to the punch, "Our flat sister has improved the defensive abilities of your armor and should be much easier to use. I made modifications so it wouldn't be mentally taxing."

"Good, he's going to need it," Hornet declared with a look that actually shook the officer

* * *

Yeah, he definitely needed it. Currently, the man was under a protective dome as wave after wave of bombers and fighters attempted to take him out. No flak guns Hipper told him, couldn't fit them on the armor she said; maybe she could have put some low caliber guns instead! Cruiser guns were basically useless and with how Hornet was using her aircraft, he couldn't aim upwards without risking being bombed. It was only by a protocol that exercises were done with dummy rounds or smaller explosive yields.

"You can't hide under that shield forever!" Hornet's voice called out from a distance

Shikikan growled with how hypocritical that statement was, "Says the one launching aircraft from a distance!"

To be fair, Hornet lacked any proper guns to fight off other ships besides her aircraft. So realistically, she was defenseless once he got close enough. Another wave of bombs hit the dome, the planes turning around to get a resupply. Seeing a narrow gap of opportunity, the officer took his chance. Dropping the shield, he sped towards the aircraft carrier as fast as he could with his HUD displaying a reticle for where his shoulder-mounted cruiser guns would be aiming. Once he got a solid aim, he fired several dummy HE rounds which were easily dodged by Hornet's agility.

Looking from the docks, Queen Elizabeth observed the two going through a training exercise. From what she heard from Neptune, the officer had gotten wounded two days ago yet he looked perfectly fine. Naturally, the Queen wanted to send her subordinates to hunt down the one who hurt their Admiral but she relented at the insistence of Belfast. Next to the leader, Sheffield and Gloucester stood patiently awaiting her command.

"Hm, Sheffield, what is your assessment of our fair officer?"

Sheffield rose her head slightly to speak, "A valuable asset with his current abilities but his combat experience is lacking, your majesty."

"Gloucester?" Elizabeth turned towards the taller maid with short violet hair

"This is a training exercise, your grace. He is facing one of the Eagle Union's strongest carriers but I cannot say if he could take on Sirens on his own if the day arises."

Elizabeth pondered a thought for a moment, "Then I decree both of you will assist in the Admiral's training. No doubt the Sakura would send some of their best as well, so we'll beat them to it."

"As you wish, your majesty," both maids bowed although Sheffield had her brows furrowed slightly

Shikikan grunted as a bomb narrowly missed him and exploded a few feet away. He couldn't just use the shield over and over again whenever Hornet launched her fighters or her bombers. The suit had a limited charge on those shields so that forced the man to use them sparingly. For now, he used his thrusters to bob and weave through wave after wave of unrelenting aircraft. Hornet hardly had to move besides the few attempts he took some shots on her.

"You're not doing half bad," Hornet commented, removing her hat to wipe away the sweat that began to form thanks to the heat

The Admiral spun out of the way of a fighter making a run for him before grumbling, "Easy for you to say!"

Hornet chuckled with her arms crossed, relenting her strikes for a moment, "You think this is bad? Imagine if Akagi or the other Sakura carrier divisions tried to train you, you'd be bombed until hell broke loose."

The man had to admit, Hornet had a massive point about that. Although, Akagi and Shoukaku would no doubt relent on their airstrikes due to their love for him. It was Kaga and Zuikaku that he was worried about. Souryu and Hiryu were also scary since they would give it their all so that was more trouble than what it was worth. Hornet basically saved him from the ever terrifying Sakura airstrikes that were only bested when the Yorktown sisters decided to combine their own power. Speaking of which, he didn't want to imagine what would happen if he faced Enterprise or Yorktown in a duel.

"Ok, you're right," he admitted, taking a moment to inspect the new features of his armor

He noticed a symbol that represented a breastplate repelling a shell which got him curious. Shikikan didn't exactly know how to activate the ability so he began to think about it. Did the armor react and deployed its abilities or did he have to will it? He focused his thoughts going towards this training session only, with no thoughts about the war or anything. He was rewarded when his armor began to light up momentarily and his helmet began displaying a change.

_Kinetic plating activated…_

Hornet noticed the slight change, her brows furrowed before her rigging began firing off another squadron of Doolittle bombers. Their bombs dropped on top of the man but to his surprise, their explosions and shrapnel hardly did anything. It was like a layer of protection against all forms of harm or some form of damage protection. A fighter made a run for him, firing all machine guns, but every bullet just bounced off and did not leave a scratch on the armor. The man grinned from under the helmet and began rushing Hornet who stared in disbelief.

The cruiser guns fired a salvo at her where she side-stepped every shell. Now the game was fair, with the Admiral now firing salvo after salvo towards Hornet while either dodging the bombing or pushing right through it. Even with Hornet's advantage neutralized, he couldn't land a round on her. It looked like they were making circles around each other, dodging or firing. It was when Shikikan was beginning to get frustrated that suddenly, the defensive ability suddenly turned off just as one of the Doolittle squadrons began dropping their payload.

"Son of a bit-" the man muttered before the whole area was alit with explosives

Hornet called off her aircraft as the dust settled, "You okay, Admiral? Not so tough when those abilities shut off at the worst moment."

"Shut up, Hornet," the Admiral grumbled as his armor was barely scratched but that didn't mean the explosions didn't hurt

Hornet only responded with a shit-eating grin since it was obvious that she had won their little 'wager' of a training session. Although, he had to admit that he didn't do half bad in avoiding her aircraft considering he had no flak cannons or machine guns of any sort. The officer took his helmet off to reveal his face full of soot from the explosives but he was relatively unharmed. Yet, he wasn't exactly happy about the results.

"Don't give me that look, Admiral, I won fair and square,"

Shikikan would have replied if he hadn't heard the sound of battleship guns going off in the distance. His head turned towards the sound to find Cesare having a long-range duel with Colorado. Both with a reputation to uphold, one having dueled the mighty Warspite and the other being one of the most powerful battleships from the Eagle Union. This would be a fight that many would be eager to watch but there were more important tasks at hand.

Hornet then spoke, "Well, let's go through this one more time before you have accuracy practice."

This was going to be a long day...

* * *

After a couple more hours of dodging bombs and failing to land a single hit on Hornet, the Admiral was now resting on the docks with a towel to wipe away the soot and sweat. Hornet had already left to get some grub at the canteen but she expected him to make her dinner tonight. Now the question was who was managing his accuracy practice if Hornet helped him deal with aircraft evasion? Maybe Warspite considering her insane accuracy for a ship originating from the first great war. Mikasa was also good with her own shots, or maybe one of the Ironblood battleships like Scharnhorst.

What he wasn't expecting was two maids from the Royal Navy to make their way towards him. He already recognized one of them being Scheffield but the other one was a bit anonymous considering there were so many maids. Didn't they makeup half of the Royal Navy or close to two-thirds? Either way, the other maid was taller than Sheffield by a few more inches, relatively wore a modest maid outfit and had some full plate gauntlets. Her short purple hair slightly obscured her left eye although it was most visible through the strands.

"I'm assuming that I'm under your care?" the Admiral asked, putting the helmet back on

Sheffield was the first to speak, "By Her Majesty's orders, we will be overseeing your training."

The man turned towards the other maid, "And you might be?"

The maid gave a curtsey before answering, "Gloucester, master. I have massive experience in combat situations although my demise was due to a lack of ammunition, therefore, I will instruct you on efficiency."

If the Royal maids were getting involved for the training session, then that meant Queen Elizabeth had a hand in all this. Sure, he was open to taking advice from others and training under their own expertise but the officer was beginning to feel that it had turned into a race again. At least the loli leader had chosen two serious maids instead of some others; nothing against their personality but war was a life or death situation. Two days ago reminded the man how fragile he was, even with the armor saving his life.

"Let's begin then," he said firmly, eager to move on with the day and learn how to properly fight

* * *

Besides, he was armed with cruiser guns so it made sense to have light cruiser shipgirls teach him their fighting techniques. Although, his guns were on the shoulders and not on some rigging so that might make it a bit difficult. Only time will tell.

Enterprise had been searching for her counterpart all morning but no trace of Ash was found since two nights ago. All the carrier tried to do was be a decent person to her broken self but was rejected as if reopening a scar. Although she had no feelings for the Admiral, in a way, she could understand Ash's pain of losing the one she loved most. The last link to a happy self when the rest of the world crumbled around her being snapped one day. To go through that must have been a traumatic experience that no one could try to forget.

But that didn't mean Enterprise was going to let Ash wallow in that pain. If she was going to help the rest of the fleet, her act had to improve. Raw strength isn't going to save them from the Sirens when they had offered extreme power to many of the shipgirls hear. The raw power that came at a price that involved spending the early years in the warfighting themselves rather than the true threat. Since then, and with the efforts of the Admiral, most of the shipgirls had discovered their own strength without the Sirens (save for the Ironblood).

"_Where would I go if I wanted to sulk in my misery?" _Enterprise thought to herself, thinking of a few places she would want to go if she didn't want to be with others

Her first destination took her back towards the Eagle Union dorms where most of her faction had errands to run or were goofing around somewhere. Passing by many of the rooms, she made her way towards the back of the building where they had a miniature museum dedicated to some early victories and honors for the war effort. The small 'museum' was no more than a single room with multiple plaques placed all around the walls, small displays of ships from various classes, and laminated pictures from different points in time. Some of those pictures being group photos of the Admiral during his early career with his fleet that once started as no more than six ships up to fifty shipgirls. Future photos were kept in a record book back at his office.

"You couldn't leave me alone could you?" Ash's voice got her counterpart's attention, the darker version looking at the photos of the Admiral and his shipgirls

Enterprise tuned her tone to one of sympathy, "I just want to talk."

"I don't want to talk."

"Holding the pain in won't make it go away."

"Scars don't heal," Ash stated bluntly

Enterprise frowned, a bit annoyed how hard her counterpart was making this, "They do heal. They don't go away but they do heal if you let them."

Ash turned her head towards her brighter counterpart, her dull violet eyes clashing with Enterprise's lighter ones, "What do you want? You don't just want to talk."

"You're right, I'm trying to help you get over your pain. Being alone is the last thing you should be doing right now," Enterprise answered

"I'm not exactly on good terms with the others. Some of them seem eager to shoot me if anything goes wrong."

"We all felt that way around each other at one point. Just prove them wrong and if you are helping us, that does require you to work with the others. Do it, for your Commander's sake."

Ash's eyes narrowed before she approached her counterpart, grabbing Enterprise by the black tie and tugging her to where their eyes were inches apart, "Don't act like you know my Co-"

Despite how much venom Ash was putting in her words, Enterprise remained calm, "If you don't change for the better, he sacrificed himself for nothing."

Whether it was her intention or not, Enterprise had metaphorically pierced through her counterpart's exterior for just a moment. The darker mirror's eyes reduced to pinpricks and began to tremble for just a moment. Sadly, the tough exterior returned as Ash let go of Enterprise and attempted to leave with haste. The Union carrier grabbed the mirror by the shoulder which was met with Ash activating her rigging and aiming an arrow right between Enterprise's eyes.

"Don't…" the mirror's aim began to shake as she tried to fight her inner emotions surfacing, "...why am I feeling this?"

The bow lowered with the arrow disappearing along with the rest of the rigging, "There's a piece of you still left, a good piece. Think on it."

Ash lowered her head, looking towards the floor with her counterpart's words playing in her mind. More questions came up rather than answers but...it was a start. Neither said a word as Ash walked away to comprehend Enterprise's words.

* * *

_Bang!Bang!_

Two rounds slammed into the side armor of Gloucester's rigging, the dummy rounds hardly doing any damage. Strange of the Royal maid to offer herself as a target for more 'realistic' measures instead of a static one. Sheffield was giving the Admiral advice as he continued to practice his aim with the new guns on his shoulder. Although...her advice often turned to small insults on how bad he was using weapons.

"Too far to the left...you're aiming at the same spot again...lead your shots...lumbering buffoon,"

Sometimes the man just wanted to ask why Sheffield had to be so damn rude every once in a while. A subtle sort of rudeness that she always followed up with her usual demeanor of a maid. Maybe Elizabeth was getting a laugh out of her experienced maid making the officer's time horrible or something. It wasn't helping him get better at his aim exactly, although the more he fired and got used to his visor's targeting system, the more he began leading his shots more accurately.

One of his rounds hit dead center. Dead center meaning that Gloucester had to use the armored gauntlets to block the incoming rounds like Belfast.

"That time was good, Master," Gloucester commented, a much-needed complement compared to Sheffield's manner

"Thank you, Gloucester," He didn't notice Sheffield's obscured eye twitched as he said this

Oh, how Sheffield was getting a bit annoyed herself. She was just doing her duty in making the Admirable a better fighter but he clearly was showing favoritism towards the other maids. To be frank, Sheffield was beginning to think that the other maids were spoiling the man on purpose to get closer. If it weren't for her, Akagi would have snuck in so many times while he was sleeping. None of the other maids tried to stop her and that involved the light cruiser to pull out her pistols and blast the fox away. That was worth something right?

At least Gloucester suggested something worthwhile, "Master, I do believe we should have a combat scenario. While I am experienced, I am in no means as good compared to Sheffield."

Shikikan looked towards Sheffield with some hesitation. Sheffield was one of the best light cruisers in the fleet for her martial arts and her sheer tenacity in a fight. Cloak and dagger operations were headed and done by her. Her skill was so great that she could go toe to toe to someone like Takao in single combat, a woman who wielded a melee weapon and had stronger armor. Do not let her slightly smaller size make you think she was less threatening.

"Let's carry on, Master. I have forbidden any from entering the docks until training has concluded," Sheffield stated, summoning her pistols and aiming them at the armored man

This took him off guard, "W-wait! On the dock?!"

Like clockwork, Sheffield had an answer, "Not all operations will be at sea, you should know this. Sometimes combat is done on land."

Shikikan had a moment to jump out of the way before the smaller maid began firing her pistols in rapid-fire succession. Good thing the dock was filled with crates and multiple boxes as suitable cover. If this was going to be like this, fine, have it her way. The armored opened up near his hip so he could grab his revolver. He took a quick peek only to duck back down as Sheffield almost shot him right in the helmet.

She was using low caliber guns...right?

Seeing some cover to his left, he ran towards it while taking some potshots at the light cruiser. Naturally, his rounds missed since he wasn't focused on accuracy and simply trying to not get hit. A sudden idea came to him while he ducked behind a crate, using his shoulder-mounted guns to fire in her direction while he was safely behind cover. Looking over while his guns suppressed his opponent, he noticed she had taken cover near an opposing box.

Then, he had a sudden sense of danger flood over him. He quickly looked behind him just to narrowly dodge a punch from Gloucester. So now he was being double-teamed?! He thought Gloucester was going to let Sheffield handle this but apparently that thought was very wrong. The Admiral either dodged or blocked the purple-haired maids strikes while trying to avoid Sheffield shots. What he didn't realize was how surprisingly he was able to keep up with the two girls considering he was just a human.

His armor then summoned a shield no larger than his arm to protect against the onslaught of bullets so he could focus on Gloucester's melee attacks. She attempted to pull a roundhouse on him when he was distracted momentarily with Sheffield, but he caught her action from the edge of his vision. He caught her leg but that was the worst mistake he could have made because she simply spun to smack him in the face with her other leg. The impact of her shoe against his helmet was surprising, no man would ever believe how hard those shoes were if they could hit an armored helmet without even breaking the heel.

The officer backed up momentarily, deploying his dome shield to force the maids into melee combat. Sheffield was eager to do so as she jumped inside the shield and engaged the man in hand to hand combat with her pistols wielded. Thankfully time with his brothers allowed Shikikan to learn some good disarmament moves as he smacked one of Sheffield's pistols during one of her attempts to shoot him at point-blank. To be honest, this looked like some Hollywood action sequence with how he was fighting two opponents and faring decently; the only difference being that this was real and they weren't trying to kill him.

Sheffield went for a roundhouse kick, taking a small jump as she went for it. No doubt the first spin was feint maneuver before the real kick came in. However, Shikikan was not expecting for Sheffield to high up and for his vision to go under her skirt enough to notice one important thing. Was ...was Sheffield not wearing any panties? Not that this was the first time the Admiral was seeing the plain sight of a woman's p-

The real kick came in and slammed his face into the ground while the man was distracted with what he just witnessed. Reality was a very cruel mistress if one was to get careless or not pay attention to what was in front of them. He felt his ears ring as the sound of clanking metal was sharp along with the impact stunning him. The man grunted as he slowly pushed himself back up shakily.

"Not bad, Master," Sheffield murmured, retrieving her fallen pistol

"Indeed, you're combat ability was surprising considering most regular humans wouldn't have the reaction time like you did unless they were seasoned veterans. I don't think you are, Master," Gloucester added analyzing the fight

Shikikan took a few moments to get used to the pain, his head still spinning a bit, "No, I don't do ground combat. I only had hand to hand experience during free time before I was assigned here. I have fought Takao in practice duels but she was going easy on me."

"Very well, let's return back to accuracy practice."

* * *

It was late afternoon by the time the officer got any respite from all the training he had since the morning, his head was killing him and his body demanded he went home for the rest of the night. Before he could do that, he decided to drop by Vestal's for some pain relievers and for a quick check-up to see if there was anything different about him. Before he had the armor on today, he had performed incredible feats that he shouldn't be able to do for a normal human. Something happened to him since then.

Vestal had taken a small amount of blood by pricking one of his fingers and scraping some onto a petri dish, "You said that you were able to bench press twice your maximum the other day? Very strange."

"All that and some massive stamina boost where I ran the entirety of the naval base without feeling exhausted. There was no way I could do that before, but the dream…" Shikikan muttered, putting a bandage over his slightly damaged finger

"A dream?" Vestal questioned as she put the dish under a scale to look at the blood closely

"Yeah, I was in front of the corpse of that thing two days ago and it had some massive crimson wisdom cube. We blew it up to kill it but in my dream, the shards gathered together again and I felt quite a bit of power. Something made me want to touch it and I did...the last thing I remember was how painful that energy was when it entered me."

"Energy entered you? That is concerning."

After a few moments, Vestal turned around to face the man, "Your blood cells have been altered somehow. Not in size but they are slightly different. I will have to perform some scans and further tests to see what else has changed you. No doubt your muscles have been altered if you were able to lift significantly more weight. Anything else?"

"No, I'm good. I'll come back tomorrow," the Admiral shook his head, getting up from the medical bed to leave

Vestal waved him goodbye as the man left the clinic and made his way towards his home. He was starving and Hornet would be expecting some food from him. Thoughts debated on what he should make since he had plenty of options. Part of him was craving some Italian food or a steak dinner. To be honest, his Italian cuisine was nowhere as good compared to that of the Sardegna Empire, they made excellent food. He was still wondering what Littorio had planned.

His little trek back home took him no longer than a half hour as he pulled out his keys to unlock the door. As he turned them, he rose a brow to note the door had already been unlocked; did he forget to lock it? Entering his little home, the man gave a sigh of relief as he went towards the couch and splayed himself all over it. The comfy material embracing the man instantly to relieve him of his exhaustion.

His ears picked up the sound of someone approaching him before he felt someone's hands on his shoulders. A wave of relief and bliss fell over him as his muscles screamed with happiness. The officer wanted to look at who was doing him such a favor but he was just too tired right now to care.

"Hm~, I see that the Royal Maids have given you a rough time," a familiar voice whispered in his ears, a voice that sent shivers down his spine all the time

"You can say that, surely gave me a headache. Did I get any mail, Prinz?" the man asked, the question answered in how his house was unlocked since very few had the key and the voice had to be the heavy cruiser

"Ja, change in protocols," Prinz answered back as she moved her hands down to his back to massage him back to good health, "Looks like your superiors are more willing to let you indulge yourself."

The Admiral opened his eyes to look back at his first wife with a doubtful look but he was greeted with the letter she spoke of. Taking a quick glance and scanning the details, she was right. Since the situation was now humanity against the Sirens instead of Human vs Human vs Siren, some measures were relaxed. One of the main ones being that Shikikan was allowed to do as he pleased with his shipgirls when it came to lovemaking. Another was equally as important, his name.

"Hm~, I like the sound of it, Gabriel~" Prinz giggled as she said his real name out loud in her usual manner

Years of not having his name spoken about made it special as the Ironblood uttered his name. Part of him wanted to criticize her for reading his mail without his permission but he couldn't bring himself to. She had the right to read his mail as much as she had the right to sleep in his home due to their marriage. But, now with the protocols changed, did that mean…

Eugen's smirk only grew as the realization began to dawn on the man, "You have no excuse now, Gabriel. After dinner, let's do what all married couples perform. It isn't fair that you let a little crane and that fox have their way with you~."

Never before had Admiral, now his name exposed, felt so cornered without a backup excuse to save him. Eugen was right to demand that of him if he let two Sakura women have their share of him even though they weren't married to him. At least she allowed him to get some rest and they would get to have dinner. Hopefully she didn't make Hornet uncomfortable considering the carrier was going to visit him soon for her reward.

"Eugen," he began, "We're having a guest in a little bit. So we're making enough for three."

"Ah~ I didn't think you wanted a threesome," Eugen replied back in her teasing manner that only made the man blush

She spared him further sensual teasing as she stopped her massage to go towards the kitchen. Her shoes making an audible clack against the wooden floor that slowly deafened the farther away she was. A few more moments and the officer rose to join her in cooking some dinner for tonight. More can be done with two people in the kitchen instead of one.

Tomorrow was going to be a can of worms being unleashed.

* * *

**Phew! That was a long chapter in my standards although I did want to make it longer. We're getting there ladies and gentlemen. We're about halfway to two-thirds through the story so that means between 30-40 chapters overall. There is still plenty of material before the 'end' of this story. I was able to get all the event girls in this mini-event. Hopefully, you all were able to or didn't waste too many cubes.**

**Stay tuned for the next chapter.**


	20. Chapter 20

The Admiral stared the empty conference room that would eventually seat all the shipgirls of his fleet, the anxiety rising with every passing minute. The sounds of the simple clock that clung to the wall echoed throughout the room. Each tick was one less second before this room would have every woman that was eager for the news he was about to spill. Last night had been great with dinner being amazing, although he gave the credit to Eugen rather than his own talent. Hornet had gone to his home as promised and the three indulged themselves to a hearty steak dinner.

After Hornet left, the rest of the night Eugen had gotten the man to make love to her since the protocols had officially been changed. That was a whole can of worms that had been opened since now there wasn't an official rule that he shouldn't do adult things. If anything, it would only be on his word at best now. If he refused, he refused, no excuse after that. Only more of a reason to take things as slow as he could. So much has happened since this whole harem began and the whole fleet needed to be ready for anything.

"Something plaguing your mind?" a voice spoke to him

Gabriel turned towards the voice to see Ash standing at the entrance of the room. Strange of her to come first since she would rather not deal with the other shipgirls. What would bring her to talk to him all of a sudden?

"Having to give out some personal news is a little nerve wracking," he told her, "Something you want to talk about?"

The woman walked closer, taking a seat closest to him while her eyes seemed to drift downward, "I have been thinking...for some time. Enterprise told me something I can't stop thinking about."

"That would be?"

"Moving on. I don't know how to."

A light smile dusted the young man's face, "Let me tell you how I got over the deaths of my family members. I miss them to this day but I focus on what is ahead of me rather than what was behind. In a way, I'm trying to honor them by being the best I can. It's not easy."

"What if the last person closest to you died in your arms no matter how much strength you had? No matter how much you tried to save them?" Ash questioned

"Some things are out of our control. I'm assuming you're talking about your Commander. If I were you, finish what he started. You have a second chance here, don't waste it," Gabriel answered, "I know I haven't wasted my second chance."

"I...don't know if I have the strength."

"Then let me and Enterprise help you. You don't have to do this alone, but now that we're talking, care to explain to me what those things were?" the man finally asked about that mysterious group of Ironblood machines that attacked his fleet days ago

Ash took a few moments to register the question before her gaze turned towards him, "The Ironbloods wouldn't go down without a fight. A lot of the scientists decide made a final gambit with what Siren tech they had. Not many of those were made but how they made them is unbelievable. You encountered a few?"

Gabriel nodded, "One large serpent-like machine and many smaller ones. Tell me that's all they were able to create."

"If I remember correctly, only two large beasts were made before the Sirens destroyed all the bases. If you destroyed one, then one more should be out there...Ember must have brought them over," Ash muttered, her gaze filled with wonder in what her friend was up to

"What would she want with those things?"

Ash never got to answer as the doors began to open with the large assortment of shipgirls beginning to enter the large room. Naturally, she pushed herself away and stayed towards the corner of the room to avoid the attention. The pressure began to amount on the Admiral's mind as the room began to fill quickly. He was overthinking how much of an impact his news would bring but considering he was never called by his real name for a few years made him feel like a different person. They had known him by rank or whatever nickname they gave him, but now all of them would learn his name.

Half an hour of waiting for the shipgirls to situate themselves felt like an eternity but now the moment was upon him. The Admiral stood up to get all eyes on him, adjusting his tie momentarily to calm himself.

"I'll be swift about this. I have received confirmation that protocols have changed yesterday and I called you all here for a very important announcement. Quite honestly, this news is something I wanted to announce for a long time now."

"You're retiring?" San Diego's voice rang from the crowd which made Admiral chuckle

"No, I'm here until we send the Sirens packing for good," he took a breath to steady himself, "You all refer to me as my rank or whatever nickname you feel comfortable giving me, but none of you truly know my name. So...I'm about to tell you…"

The tension rose as he noticed now all eyes were eagerly looking in his direction with anticipation. Those shipgirls that had joined him early in his career were no doubt really boring their eyes into him for the answer. Then there were the shipgirls who were romantically involved with the man but never got that basic information over some outdated rules.

The Admiral took off his naval cap before attempting a smile like he was going through a meet and greet, "Hello ladies, my name is Gabriel Harper. You can address me however you like as usual."

Gabriel felt a sudden weight fall off his shoulders once he let the news fly out of his mouth. The whole room erupted with chatter as this news changed everything, especially in those who were engaged/married to him.

"Herr Harper, your eyes changed color," Scharnhorst spoke out, her one eye so keen in spotting something so minuscule which allowed her to hit shots from extreme range

Gabriel raised a brow before he remembered how his eyes had turned red yesterday at random. Taking no time in dismissing the girls, he left the room through a backdoor to get Vestal to check on him. Whatever was going on with him hadn't negatively done damage but only enhanced his abilities to the point it was noticeable by anyone. Questions would be asked and concern would rise among the ranks if no answer was given.

He needed answers.

* * *

"Well, I took your scans and what is shown is absolutely astounding,"

Vestal was sitting at her desk with Gabriel waiting patiently on a chair for the results. She turned her computer around to show him several scans on his skeleton. The bones looked off in color and seemed to have some sort of extra coating on top of the regular bone. Another photo showed his muscles which looked reinforced and slightly larger than before.

"Admiral, if what you told me was true, your body has been modified somehow. That Wisdom Cube you encountered forced your body to change. Thankfully only your physical body was affected, I can't imagine your mentality being altered," Vestal informed him

Gabriel nodded along with the nurse's explanation, "I thought Wisdom Cubes could only be used in the construction of shipgirls or for research. How does that explain it affecting me, a normal human being?"

"I'm not sure. I have never seen a human affected by any Wisdom Cube. I know the Sirens are capable of brainwashing humans but not like this. Please watch yourself and come back to me if anything happens."

"Will do, or you'll drag me back here."

He paid Vestal farewell and left the hospital for the second time this week. His thoughts went back to what Ash mentioned about Ember. Was she truly testing him with those machines from their timeline? Would she join them if he had passed her little 'tests'? Gabriel hoped that was the case because both Ember and Ash were very powerful individuals. Having both of them with their knowledge of the Sirens' technology could be the very key to ending this war. Without them, it might just turn into a war of attrition.

Walking towards the docks so he could think clearly without interruption, he spotted a few shipgirls preparing themselves to go for a patrol route. Helena, Cleveland, Montpelier, and Saratoga had their rigging on and were about to take off. Then a thought came to him.

"Do you think you guys could do me a great favor?" he asked while approaching them

Cleveland was the first to reply with that optimistic smile on her lips, "Sure Admiral, or should I call you Gabe? What do you need?"

The little nickname made him smile back in return, "Keep your sonars and radars tuned for Siren signatures but I want you all to tune it for other shipgirls."

"Other shipgirls? What for?" Helena questioned

"I want to track down Ember. Once you have some signatures, run back here and report asap. I don't want you all trying to take her on or whatever is out there beneath those waters."

Montpelier gave a salute, "With big sister Cleveland here, we'll get the mission done."

"Monty, you don't have to praise me at every moment," Cleveland sweatdropped since her sister made it a daily manner to praise the elder

"But it is true."

"I can't take on a Siren on my own."

Helena giggled at the cute sight between sisters, something she didn't do with since the older one often teased a lot. Saratoga would probably make a joke or some sort of tease if Gabriel wasn't right in front of them. So, when the two sisters finally stopped bickering, the patrol fleet went off to carry on their assignment. With that said, the Admiral moved towards the office so he could get any paperwork over with and keep a close ear to any news.

It wouldn't take too long before he would be back on the waves

* * *

Waves crashed into anything that opposed them with winds howling outside. Bits of snow quickly covered anything that opposed it as a few battleships charged through the weather's frenzy. In the middle of the fleet was a massive battleship being escorted by two smaller battleships as its front and rearguard. Despite the powerful engines that powered these machines of death, the waves were relentless.

Gabriel felt gravity try to pull him down as he was looking over a map with a radar console next to it. Within an hour of sending the patrol out, Helena radioed sudden storms due north towards the pole. He wasted no time in getting a fleet ready to sortie out towards the North Pole in search of Ember. These storms only happened during some extreme temperatures or Siren meddling, the latter being the case. The sudden rise and fall motion of the ship could make any recruit sailor want to vomit but no one was a rookie in this fleet.

"_The weather is terrible out here, I can't see a thing,_" Scharnhorst's voice crackled through the nearby radio

"_Doesn't this remind you of your last fight, Schwester?" _Gneisseneu's voice replied in turn

Who better to take to the northern point of the Earth than some of the Ironbloods, mainly those who served with Tirpitz. Gabriel would have gone with Avrora but the only Russian ship had gotten drunk with Vodka the previous night and was not feeling up to a sortie. So, the Ironbloods were the best option with a couple of other shipgirls for support.

Another wave crashed into the battleship, causing Gabriel to lose his balance temporarily but was caught by Tirpitz before he fell, "Let's hope we get to the eye of this storm before it gets worse."

"Not likely, Herr Admiral, we are lucky to hit thirty knots on these waves. It will be a long while before we even hit the edge of the pole. If fortune favors us, our target will show herself before that happens. It will take days if she waits us out," Tirpitz said, her time being in the North Sea giving her some experience with cold waters

Another wave smashed into the ship which prompted the shipgirl to hug Gabriel close. He blushed a bit as he could feel her body flush up against him; the clothing doing little to prevent such a touch. Some might say he was a lucky man to be put in these types of situations while others might call him an unlucky one. In truth, he would have preferred to not have events happen like this.

"Do I feel cold?" Tirpitz asked out of the blue

The Admiral blinked a few times to register the question. How would she feel cold when she dressed in more modest apparel that was suited to winter climates? Was she talking about her ship and not her body pressed up against his back? In either case, no, she didn't feel cold at all unless she was speaking metaphorically.

"No, you feel quite warm," he answered truthfully, assuming it was a literal question

The door to the bridge opened as Z23 entered looking soaked and not exactly in a good mood. Without a word or an acknowledgment, she walked over to the couple before hugging Gabriel from the front. Now the situation just got more awkward as he was stuck in between two women, one shorter and one slightly taller. It didn't help that Nimi was soaked so he was feeling the cold water while she was trying to heat up.

He released a sigh before patting the destroyer on the head, "At least ask for a towel."

His gaze turned back outside as the howling winds suddenly stopped and the waves began to lose their strength. The battleships slowed to a stop while the clouds began to split apart to reveal the night sky. They had gone on this sortie for hours and the extreme weather prevented anyone from observing what time of day it was. A night attack would suit a single opponent in making a sudden attack.

"So she comes to us, mutig," Tirpitz mused while observing her deck and the surrounding ocean for any signs of the fallen shipgirl

Gabriel broke from the two shipgirls that had him sandwiched, making his way off the command bridge and towards the bow. During the small walk, he put on his armor as a safety precaution. The night sky illuminated little other than the reflective surface of the water. It would have been a beautiful sight to behold if it weren't for the situation that they were in. Radar and sonar were on at all times to detect their target but other than an early ping, Ember had disappeared off the map.

"You're persistent."

Turning around, he was greeted with the sight of Ember standing several feet away from him. The darker counterpart of Takao had one of her hands on her sheathed blade while the other laid at her side. Her single eye bore into his own despite the helmet shielding him. Her other eye was covered up by a portion of hair. A black jacket hugged her body on top of her naval uniform that was just like Takao's. Subtle differences were added but they could be ignored.

"You sent those machines after me. It's only natural that I'm going to track down who sent them," Gabriel stated, one hand clutching his revolver tightly

To his surprise, Ember narrowed her gaze, "I didn't send those. The Sirens did but I am surprised you were able to destroy one of the two. Perhaps I underestimated your subordinates."

"If you didn't send those, then what brings you here?"

A quick swipe of Ember's arm produced her blade with her gaze hardening, "To test your resolve."

As soon as her sentence finished, the woman suddenly left her position and rushed Gabriel with such speed that rivaled Kitakaze. Normally, a human being would only see the after image before their fate was sealed, but the man wasn't a normal human being. A slash came towards his neck and by reflex, he raised his armored gauntlet. Steel clashed against steel but the blade could not do any damage. His eyes went towards the sheath to notice it coming close to his face, disengaging lest he was met with a blunt attack.

"Admiral!" his ears picked up on Z23's voice

The Ironblood Destroyer summoned her rigging and prepared to pepper the fallen Ember but Gabriel shook his head. This fight was between them, not the other shipgirls. He didn't want them to draw Ember's blade for he feared she would actually kill them if they interfered. He quickly fired a round from his weapon but Ember easily dodged the round. Another round was cut in half as the fallen shipgirl brought her blade down in an overhead strike. The Admiral jumped back to avoid the blade from attempting to split his head open.

Only for Ember to suddenly raise the blade to slice him in an upward angle…

* * *

...and the Sakura petal was cut in half.

Takao stared at the cut petal to notice it was not a perfect cut that she had practiced daily. Her mind was too focused on the Admiral finally admitting to his true name. Such things should be trivial since it didn't change who the man was that had captured her heart, but it weighed deeply on her mind. With his name now revealed, it was customary in most cultures to take on the husband's last name. Would all those he promised to bear his last name or would that honor only go to Prinz Eugen?

Clapping distracted her thoughts before she turned towards the source of the disturbance. Zuikaku had been watching her senior perform one of the hardest challenges any swordsman would ever take.

"As swift as ever, Takao, but are you alright? You seem bothered," Zuikaku asked

A small smile graced Takao's lips to help dissuade the Sakura carrier, "Just something petty, Zuikaku. Is Shoukaku still bothering Akagi?"

A nervous smile revealed itself on Zuikaku's face, "Yes, one-moment Akagi-senpai is talking about the Admiral and then nee-sama makes a passing comment. Akagi goes into her yandere state and you know the rest."

"What did she say this time?"

"Apparently, Akagi got to sleep with the Admiral before he told us his name which got nee-sama to say she made him smell like a beast."

To Zuikaku's surprise, Takao actually laughed at this. Normally, the heavy cruiser would either sigh at such comments or giggle. This wasn't even the first time Shoukaku had done such things to their seniors. Out of the four sisters, Choukai and Atago were eager to listen in on any gossip while Maya and Takao remained fiercely respectable. Had this war and spending time with the other factions loosen up Takao or was it Gabriel himself?

Zuikaku waited for Takao to stop laughing before she spoke, "You know, Shoukaku mentioned to me one time that she was the first to...um...make love with the Admiral. It's kind of awkward to think of him being with her?"

Takao raised her eyebrows with a slight tilt to her head, "How come? Are you not happy she has found someone to love?"

"Oh I do, but...I guess with him revealing his true name and thinking about their eventual marriage, it's really hard to think of him as a sibling. Have you thought of that?"

Takao's eyes widened as she had forgone those thoughts for quite a while. She didn't need her sisters' approval but considering the family drama between them, would Gabriel be pulled into it all? Although Takao was in Shoukaku's position, she could understand where Zuikaku was coming from. Out of her three siblings, she could only see Maya not be so accepting of him yet they had gotten along well. No doubt Akagi would have thought this through and neither Amagi or Kaga would have any reservations against the Admiral.

"I have not thought of that. I was focused on other things. Hm, would you care to join me in my training?" Takao muttered while looking at the Sakura carrier

"Of course, I'll show you how much I've improved since the last time we sparred," Zuikaku smiled genuinely before her hand went down to the hilt of her blade

Both swordswomen drew their blades at the same time before going for an attack.

* * *

Rain poured over the battlefield with the weather being put into turmoil for a second time. Steel clashed against steel in hopes of overwhelming the other. This duel with Ember had gone on for some time and both she and Gabriel had not gotten any closer to wounding the other. Gabriel's time training against the Sakura allowed him to anticipate many of Ember's strikes and react accordingly. The only attack he had to use his barrier for was her barrage of dark energy that enhanced the shells fired from her turrets.

"I could really use a melee weapon right now," the Admiral muttered to himself

Suddenly, two thick blades came out of where his wrist was and was the width of an arming sword and stretched a few inches in front of his fists. Nice of Hipper or Eugen to give him a blade when he needed it but they couldn't give him an AA gun. Ember didn't waste time to attack him again with a slash towards his side that was blocked with his left arm. Gabriel then went for a right hook, forcing Ember back but the blades gave him the necessary range to get a small cut on her forehead.

Ember growled as a thin line of blood flowed from the small wound along with the tuft of hair that obscured her right eye was now cut. She looked more like Takao than ever but that only seemed to piss off the fallen shipgirl. Se rushed him once more, firing a barrage from her main guns that forced Gabriel to deploy his shield or he would get the full force of the shells. By the time his shield dropped, Ember was close enough to stab him.

Time slowed as the Admiral saw the blade aim towards his midsection, the only part within the suit that was lightly armored for flexibility. The best action he could take was to shift his body away, dodging the nimble blade was impaling him. However, from his time practicing against Takao, Ember followed the stab with another slash. Gabriel was forced to use both his arms to block the swing, locking the blade in place before suddenly snapping twisting it.

_SNAP!_

Ember's eyes widened as the weight of her sword suddenly felt lighter than normal, half of the blade plunging into the ocean. Her gaze went up towards her opponent as he was breathing heavily from their long duel. If he really wanted to, he could have had his shipgirls fire on her right now where she was vulnerable. She may still have her turrets but her main weapon was entirely destroyed, shattered in front of her.

"It doesn't have to be this way, Ember," Gabriel finally spoke to her since their duel began, "You can join me and help end this war."

The fallen shipgirl only replied, "He was right...that you might have a chance."

"What?"

"This isn't the first time Ash and I have tried to save a timeline," Ember said, "We failed our own. Despite that, our Commander was confident that someone like you would have a chance."

"Then join me. I would like more individuals like you to help defeat the Sirens for good."

Gabriel extended a hand out towards Ember, his weapons holstered or put back in place. She didn't need to fight them anymore if she wanted to avenge her Commander. He had built a mighty fleet to take on the Sirens at any moment. Hesitantly, her white-gloved hand reached out, stopping for a moment before landing on the Admiral. The cold steel that covered his hands was familiar to her, of another person that once wore armor like that. He was gone now, but he left a mark on this particular timeline.

"I am in your care, Admiral...Don't disappoint me," Ember stated flatly, dropping the rest of her broken sword to the waters below

"I'll die before that happens," he promised

Once their duel had ended, they got on board the Tirpitz with Ember staying on the bow. Gabriel headed back inside the command deck to get out of the rain, the suit doing little from keeping the water out. He took off his helmet with a breath of relief that today had gone much better than he anticipated. Then again, he was expecting the worst in all situations.

"You risked a lot out there, Admiral. She could have killed you," Tirpitz stated, having watched the entire fight from the bridge, "Are you sure you can put your faith in them?"

Gabriel looked back at Tirpitz, "I put faith in all of you when you were firing salvos at my fleet years ago."

"Touche."

Tirpitz had set up a game of chess on a small table within the bridge. She found it to be a pastime during her long operations in the icy seas. Her long periods of thinking were aided with such a hobby and the Admiral found himself invested. Without a second thought, he sat down to begin a match with all pieces on the board. Tirpitz sat the opposing seat with her white set of chess pieces.

Then the match began with Tirpitz making the first move…

* * *

...with blades clashing once more in an endless fury. Sakura petals were decorating the floor below the combatants' feet. The melee between Zuikaku and Takao had gone on for over an hour with neither taking a clear advantage. Sweat poured each of their faces with neither woman wanting to show a sign of weakness.

"You've really improved," Takao commented with a thin smile

Zuikaku tried to suppress a similar look as their blades locked, "Improved enough to take on the Grey Ghost?"

"Not quite."

The ladies were stopped their little duel as thunder boomed above them with rain beginning to sprinkle on top of the base. Considering the thunder, the sprinkles would turn into a heavy barrage of droplets soon. Both swordswomen sheathed their blades and proceeded to go inside the dorms before their clothing was soaked. What was in front of them could be described as comedic.

Shoukaku was in some form of a glaring contest against Akagi with Souryu and Hiryu keeping them from lighting the dorms ablaze. Yukikaze and Shigure looked to be wrestling over some petty argument they once had. Mikasa was giving some history lecture that bored everyone but an eager Suruga, who had stars in her eyes. No doubt it had to be the hundredth telling of the Battle of Tsushima.

Gabriel was probably having a better time out on his sortie.

* * *

Another piece fell and came to the clutches of the Queen of the North with most of her important pieces intact. Gabriel looked back on his pieces to see three quarters of his pawns were exterminated, both knights fell, one rook remained, his bishops unscathed and his royal family unharmed. Tirpitz had made every move with maximum damage and minimum retaliation although her hand had been played many times before.

"The Royal Navy is having another banquet for the New Year's celebration," Tirpitz mentioned as she moved a pawn forward

Her pawn was an easy kill but the Admiral was beginning to think it was a trap, "I'm assuming everyone is invited?"

Deciding to test the trap, he had one of his pawns take out its opponent before grabbing the fallen piece and placing it off to the side. Tirpitz moved a separate pawn on the other side of the board with Gabriel following by pushing one of his pawns forward to test her lines. So far, Tirpitz had more of her major pieces than he did so this was beginning to look dire.

"Of course, it is a banquet, not a ball. We are asked to wear something formal for this event but…"

"But?"

Tirpitz pushed her scouting pawn forward once more before answering, "I...Ahem, I would like you to help me with something."

"What is it?" Gabriel asked while having his foremost pawn eliminate one of her defensive pawns

He was expecting Tirpitz to have some long story about her sister, Bismark. The two never got to connect since Bismark was sent out before Tirpitz could be fully combat-ready. Add years out into the icy seas of the north and any connection with 'family' could easily be severed. When they met, it was an awkward exchange as neither of them knew how to properly greet the other. The Admiral hadn't asked if Tirpitz was getting better at reconnecting with Bismark but he assumed if there was anything she wanted to ask him, it had to be about her.

"It's Fraulein Grose, she...is a bit too motherly," Tirpitz finally admitted, sneaking in a quick attack with her knight destroying his offensive pawn

Gabriel had a look of both confusion and wonder, tempted to chuckle at such a thought of Fredrich being 'too motherly' to Tirpitz, "Oh really? What is your definition of that?"

Tirpitz's gaze went downcast with one of her gloved hands covering her face as if her expression would reveal it all, "You have a mother, ja?"

"Of course."

"Did she ever wake you up early in the morning for any reason?"

Gabriel's gaze softened at the thought of his mother, when she was his age, waking him up for early church services every day. More often than not, it was never a good experience for a sleepy kid who didn't want to go to church. Tirpitz got her answer by studying his face and how a smile began to form on his lips.

With this confirmation, Tirpitz continued, "Fredrich woke the entire Ironblood navy for musical lessons. She was deeply unsatisfied with the lack of pride we had and forced us to go through her grueling lessons."

"Grueling to learn something new? I don't see how that's bad," the Admiral mused, thinking of the various members in the Ironblood being half asleep through those sessions

"Suffice it to say, Herr Harper, it was a mess."

"I happen to like Fraulein Grose's efforts to bringing pride back into the Ironblood," Z23 suddenly spoke as she entered the command bridge with a cup of warm coffee in her hands

Of course, Nimi would be for Fredrich's exercises in music, she was a strict woman that got Gabriel to work when he slacked off, "I'll consider it, Tirpitz. Since the Sirens still haven't played their hand, I personally think this is not a bad thing. Trust between comrades is vitally important."

"Schachmatt."

The Admiral stared blankly at his opponent before looking at the board to see that she had perfectly placed her pieces to where his king had no escape. His mind was too focused on what Tirpitz asked of him that he forgot about the battle in front.

"How soon until we get back to the naval base?"

* * *

**Ok, so we have Ember joining the fleet although with much more hostility at first compared to Ash. Took me a little longer to write this due to a couple of sections needing to be rewritten. Hopefully, this was good for you guys to read.**

**Stay tuned for next chapter.**


	21. Chapter 21

Gabriel laid in his bed sleeping blissfully. The trip back to the home base was not a very nice ride with the storm blowing with cold winds and the rough seas. He couldn't sleep on Tirpitz's ship despite the warmer interior or the shipgirl offering him her coat. He just toughened it out until they docked, ordered the girls to not fire on Ember, and left for his home. It was unsure what time he had returned by, but it was clear it was the next day.

Eyes slowly opening, the Admiral grunted as he looked at the ceiling of his room. It was afternoon based on the intensity of the light and the direction of the rays from his window. One problem, there was something amiss with the whole place. That one thing being Gabriel unable to move as he felt something holding him. Wait...something? No, someone.

His gaze went downward to spot the familiar short haired blond heavy cruiser laying her head on his chest with her arms snaked around his body. From this position, Roon was holding him like a body pillow rather than another person. At least she was modest enough to wear her clothes and not force herself on him. His eyes turned to his door as the sound of the knob turning caught his ears.

"Master, are you decent?" a female voice asked

"Mm...Yeah," Gabriel answered, trying to sit up despite his body being gripped snugly by a sleeping Roon

The door to his room opened with Sheffield entering with a tray of snacks and coffee, "I see that Ms. Roon has accompanied you, Master."

Rubbing the sleepiness from his eyes, the Admiral replied, "She must have entered when I was asleep. Anything in the mail or on today's agenda?"

"There is a crate for you. The other maids have already examined it for any potential danger but none was found."

A crate? Did High Command send something without informing him or was the information sent but he had sortied? At least the maids took the precautions to check the crate for any possible traps or potential dangerous materials. Still, what was in the crate if the maids found it to be harmless?

"What was in the crate?" he asked, grabbing the cup of coffee and taking a sip. The hot brewed drink ran down his throat and began to stir his senses.

Sheffield waited a moment, thinking of how to explain the item in the crate without spoiling the surprise. She felt Gabriel would love what was inside since it was meant for him. Eventually, she answered, "A weapon, master. It is best you see it for yourself."

"I see. Other than that?"

Sheffield responded, "Christmas is upon us with the Iron Bloods and Eagle Union already decorating the base. The Iris and Sardegna Empire are also participating although the Sakura seem to have their own winter celebration. Lastly, Her Majesty is having the entire navy prepare all necessary ingredients for a feast."

"Isn't it at least a week or two before that happens?" Gabriel questioned, rubbing his forehead while trying to count down the days that had passed, "Either time is accelerating or I'm very busy."

"Master, you've been very busy indulging in your perverted desires and slacking."

"At least I know I'm awake."

He looked at the small tray of assorted snacks to find that it was a light breakfast along with the coffee. An English muffin with a small amount of butter and strawberry jam paired with a couple sausages. Something light enough so the Admiral wouldn't be too sluggish but enough for him to keep his hunger down. Taking one half of the muffin, he bit into the warm bread to find his taste buds enjoying it very much.

"Thank you, Sheffield. The muffin is amazing, are there other matters?" he asked curiously, more awake than ever with the rest of his body rising out of its slumber

For a moment, Gabriel swore he saw a pink hue appear on Sheffield's cheeks but the maid simply bowed before leaving the room. His attention turned back to his small meal that she had brought him. Roon began mumbling something in her sleep that drew his attention, a visible smile under the sleeping woman's face. Her metal 'fins' turned slightly, reminding the Admiral of that one time he was able to visit her mind when he placed his hands on them.

"I wonder if I see what she is dreaming about," he murmured, gulping down his coffee and finishing his toast before attempting an action like that

Like before, he slowly moved his hands towards the small pieces of metal placed on the sides of Roon's head. The very moment his fingers touched them, he felt his eyes suddenly close…

* * *

_Gabriel now stood on the cliff that overlooked the docks and had a beautiful view over the ocean. This place was visited many times by the various shipgirls as either a picnic spot, a moment to relax, or something a little more romantic. But now, he found himself dressed in a white tuxedo that had a black vest underneath while the sun shone brightly overhead. Looking for Roon, he could only spot a lone figure walking towards him garbed in a black and red outfit. As that person got closer, the Admiral would soon realize that it was Roon in a wedding outfit of her own._

_The word that he would use to describe her would be absolutely stunning. The dress itself covered her body all the way up to her chest where a good amount of cleavage was exposed but not lewdly. The fabric reached up to her neck where it formed a small choker, covering everything save for her shoulders in black. The interior fabric was colored crimson just like the faction she was a part of. One large rose settled near her right hip with a small trio of roses nestled neatly on her head. A crimson bow was settled near the back for extra flair and although he couldn't see the shoes she wore, he assumed they would be high heeled. _

"_Roon...wow…" Gabriel could only utter, his heart fluttering the longer he observed the heavy cruiser_

_Roon blushed greatly as she realized that this wasn't the dream version of her beloved, trying to hide her face behind a bouquet of flowers she brought, "W-w-what are you doing in my dream?!"_

"_You were muttering something and I got curious so here I am. Were you expecting a different version?"_

_Roon didn't answer, looking off to the side in hopes of collecting herself. The Admiral remembered that he once feared the woman ever since she showed how much of a menace she could be on the battlefield. Her psychotic murder spree against the Sirens was something to fear amongst the fleet but ever since she shared her own problems, Gabriel began to feel guilt for his uninformed judgment. Her tendency to fall into an insane rampage was due to her emotional turmoil that had been built up out of fear. Although her love of him was obsessive at first, at least she knew where to stop herself and respect his personal space. _

_He was her anchor to sanity. An anchor that allowed Roon to show how gentle and cute she could really be if her emotions or mentality weren't skewed. _

"_U-um...If you're here, then that means you probably know what this is," Roon finally spoke after keeping herself silent for some time_

"_A dream about you marrying me?" Gabriel guessed, the clues very evident with their attire being the main selling point_

_Roon only nodded, although her demeanor began to shift into sadness, "I dream of this all the time but I know you already promised three of the Ironbloods already. I...don't want this to be a burden on you…"_

"_Roon…" _

"_They spent more time with you than I have," the heavy cruiser continued, her eyes beginning to well up although she was fighting to force them down, "They deserve it more than I do...but...no. I'll be happy for them...even if it hurts…"_

"_Roon," the Admiral's voice became firm, his hands landing on her bare shoulders to get her attention, "Hold on, what are you talking about? Why are you upset over the others already?"_

"_I fear for you. That last time you joined us in a sortie, I thought you got killed...I couldn't bear the thought," Roon answered, tears now flowing, "I don't know where to go if you had died."_

_He looked into her eyes that held no predatory look within them. This wasn't a farce, this was something she genuinely feared more than she feared about her own existence being ended. With his recent actions having put him on the front lines, Gabriel was effectively shortening his life expectancy. He almost died in that encounter with the Leviathan and his duel with Ember could have ended his life as well. Something within him was prompting him to prove Roon wrong, that everything was going to be ok. But...even with the Sirens having taken a backseat, the war was not done._

"_Roon...don't worry about the others. Who gets married is still my decision and no one said I couldn't have more if I wanted to. Ok, that sounded something extremely perverted on my end but you get my point," the Admiral stated, his hands unconsciously drifting from her shoulders down to her back_

_Whether Roon was doing it on purpose or not, her arms wrapped around his neck as they stared into each other's eyes. Their proximity was making her blush but she didn't turn away from him, "Are you saying that you're willing to accept me?"_

"_A little change of rules wouldn't hurt anyone would it?" he chuckled, earning raised brows from the Ironblood woman, "You know the plan that was agreed upon was that an equal amount of girls from each faction would be close to me. Well, priority ships like yourself were scrapped designs so technically, you're part of your own."_

_Roon began to smile once again leaning closer to where their lips were inches apart, "You know that's a whole can of worms you're opening."_

"_I'm the Admiral of the base aren't I? What I say goes, within reason of course."_

"_Mein liebe, just kiss me already."_

_So he did. Although, the moment their lips connected, Gabriel was suddenly thrust out of the dream world._

* * *

Back in reality, the Admiral found himself being kissed by the still asleep Roon. Her eyes fluttered open as the gentle smooch of their lips could only be heard besides the rustling of bed sheets. It didn't take long for Roon to register that they were actually kissing before her eyes widened and a blush formed immediately. Yet, when Gabriel refused to back down and continued their gentle kisses, the woman relaxed and surrendered to them.

"I better go before everyone thinks I'm oversleeping again," he said, making one more kiss before he pushed himself off the bed to change into something casual

Roon's eyes followed him, her gaze turning into a love-struck teen with a girly giggle slipping through her lips, "When are you coming back?

"Tonight, unsure on when. If all goes well without anything going wrong, which will probably happen, then I should be home about six or seven in the evening," the Admiral answered, changing out of his uniform for something a bit more comfortable. He didn't bother changing since he was so tired from the sortie so his clothes were bound to smell a bit.

Realizing this, Gabriel took a quick shower to freshen up before making his way out of his home to inspect the preparations for himself. Upon opening the door, a clump of snow fell on top of him, much to his chagrin. A frown crossed his face with a silent curse towards the Sirens being muttered under his breath. Several inches of snow greeted him afterward, forcing the man to trudge at a slow pace due to not having proper winter gear on. Must be nice for the shipgirls to wade through this without a problem but he still had to take his sweet time.

Ten minutes of forcing himself through inches of snow and the Admiral was relieved to see the road mostly clear of the white substance. Lampposts were having various decorations adorn them from wreaths to small bells while buildings had assorted lights. The occasional sound of bells tolling in the distance warmed the atmosphere to the holiday season. All this place needed was some carols being sunk by choirs and warm mugs of eggnog.

As he scanned over the area to spot several shipgirls putting up decorations on the dorms. Gabriel spotted Baltimore among the group thanks to her short brown hair, even though she was wearing a winter coat. Another face was Hamman with her cat-like ears, which were fake, sticking out like a sore thumb. The third face was Cleveland with the last face being Dunkerque. Curious that the Vichya battleship was around the Eagle Union instead of her own faction.

"Good afternoon ladies," he called out while approaching the group

Hamman, who was at the top of a ladder while putting up some lights, muttered under her breath, "Oh look, it's the idiot trying to sneak a peek."

"Stop your bickering you tsundere," Cleveland called back, causing Hamman to light up red with anger

"I'M NOT A TSUNDERE!"

Gabriel chuckled at the destroyer's fierce anger when being called out by others for her actions. In many ways, she was just like Hipper despite the fact both were different classes of ships. The only difference was at least he was getting close with Hipper like family while Hamman hardly showed her face around. She normally stayed around Yorktown for some reason, a reason that was bittersweet considering the warships they represented. However, that didn't explain why Hamman was always calling him a 'baka' or a 'pervert' for some reason.

Looking at the decorations being brought up, the Admiral spoke, "What brings you over to the Eagle Union dorms, Dunkerque? Shouldn't you be with your faction?"

"Ehh...They are...arguing once again," Dunkerque answered back with a sheepish smile, having both of her index fingers poking each other

"Was it about religion again?" Baltimore said before looking around curiously, "Wait a moment, where was that other girl? The one who acts all robotic."

Cleveland also turned around with her eyes scanning, "Oh yeah, she was just here a second ago."

"Gascogne? She was with you guys?" Gabriel rose a brow which was met with unified nods, "I haven't talked to her since she was my secretary about a week or two ago."

His eye noticed heaps of snow being hurled into the air before the sound of hammers and drills were heard nearby. Without a word, Gabriel went towards the sounds to find Gascogne constructing a snow fortress at ludicrous speeds with only a hammer in one hand and a drill in the other. Her only resource was snow yet somehow she was maintaining the structure without the need for additional screws or nails.

"Wow...she works fast," Baltimore commented, utterly amazed at the French priority ship's talent

Gascogne stopped her construction to turn towards the group, "Does this satisfy Master's expectations? This unit will demolish the site if it does not meet expectations."

"Please speak normally, Gascogne. You're not a robotic being," the Admiral sighed before observing the current progress, "What is this fortress for exactly?"

"Imminent barrages of snow. Gascogne has analyzed patterns within local forces and has concluded many of the younger girls will be participating in arctic warfare."

"I see, carry on then. Just be sure to help us out with the rest of the decorations."

Gascogne turned back to her work before the group returned to putting some lights onto the dorms. Hamman was already setting up the window lights so Gabriel decided to grab another ladder so they could set up another row at the edge of the roof. Baltimore and Cleveland went inside to do some interior decorations leaving Dunkerque to place a couple of wreaths on the door.

Once he returned, he found Hamman bringing up a set of lights that looked almost as large as her small frame. As she tried to walk up the steps of the ladder, she stumbled on one of the steps causing the destroyer to fall backward. Quick to action, the Admiral dropped the ladder he was holding and dove with arms outstretched to catch the falling shipgirl. He felt his chest hit the soft snow beneath him and the weight of Hamman landing on top of his arms.

Hamman blinked a few times with her mind wondering what made her landing so soft. It didn't take long for her to have that answer as she felt her body get lifted up and her eyes went towards Gabriel's. Instantly, her face lit up scarlet red in embarrassment before she swiftly jumped off and turned back to her usual anger.

"Baka! I don't need your help!" Hamman stated angrily, pointing an index finger in an accusatory manner

"It was a friendly gesture, calm down," Gabriel replied back, wiping off some snow from his coat

This did not calm down the angry destroyer, "Friendly gesture my ass, you're just trying to get me falling for you."

"Amiral, do you mind helping me?" Dunkerque asked, opening the door to the dorms while holding a box full of wreaths

"Yeah, I'll be there."

* * *

"Do you think he'll be powerful enough to face Antiochus?"

"On his own….No, but with our help, he will. The Sirens will be coming for him once they gather their strength."

"What will our fate be if he succeeds? If he fails, we will have to find another."

"There won't be another chance. Antiochus will be sure to reset everything once we're all dead."

"What was the point of the simulations? Evolution is all the Sirens spout about but I see devolution in all the timelines they succeed in."

Ash didn't answer as she stared at the snow from the temporary room she and Ember were assigned to. All her thoughts went back to the time she and the Sirens attacked NY Harbor to pull most of the human fleet away so she could place a beacon. That timeline didn't survive but the beacon allowed her to make small corrections in this one without the Sirens realizing it. Every mistake in previous timelines were exposed and corrected so that when they repeated once more, it was the humans who won.

Ember sat at the foot of their shared bed, her hands busy with cleaning a spare blade to replace her broken one, "You didn't answer my question about our fate."

"I don't know...but...if we fade away or die saving this timeline, at least we can see him again," Ash answered, her tone having a slight amount of warmth in it

"You believe in those folk tales about heaven and hell?"

"You did once."

"I did...I miss those days."

"I do too...and we have a chance to see it again."

Ember stopped cleaning her blade to look at her fellow friend, "The others don't trust us, Ash. What we did in the past is unforg-"

"We showed them the mistakes they made and led to their future victories, did we not?" Ash interrupted, turning around to face the fallen Sakura woman

"It seems so. Are we even worthy of forgiveness? What about those who fought against us? Surely they would want to see us destroyed."

"I have been speaking...to my counterpart. She is willing to forgive me but I can't say the same for the others. We have to trust the Admiral."

Ember silently nodded, rising to her feet while sheathing her blade. For once, a small smile went to her face, "I'll stand by your side until the end."

"As will I," Ash replicated the smile

* * *

Back at the Eagle Union dorms, the Admiral and his shipgirls were going through every door and every hallway to set up decorations. The only problem with having such a large fleet was the number of rooms and hallways to house the girls. Decorating a small home wouldn't be hard at all but an entire dorm building with most of the girls either doing their duties or playing around, now that was tough. Still, Gabriel found the experience fun. One of the few moments that he cherished when he was a child.

"How many more hallways do we have left?" Baltimore groaned in a tired manner, the simple task being much longer than expected

"Ah, let's see. There's one hundred and five of us so far and each hallway holds about ten rooms, so that means roughly eleven hallways. We only went through two," Cleveland said, doing the math in her head

"But not all of you are on this base, non?" Dunkerque questioned, having only seen only so many Eagle Union shipgirls

Gabriel had an answer for this one, "Can't fit everyone on this base. I split up half of the Eagle Union and sent them back to the mainland for protection reasons. Same thing for the Sakura Empire since they have so many shipgirls. The Royal Navy…"

"They still have most of their girls here, don't they?" Cleveland said abruptly

"Yes, Cleveland. Queen's orders although they have about a fourth of their navy back in their country. The Ironbloods have most of their destroyers back home."

Baltimore rose a brow at this news, "So why do the Iris and Sardegna Empire have their entire fleet here? Wouldn't that compromise their national defenses?"

"Tu as raison, Mademoiselle Baltimore. Our navy is quite smaller than most but we will not hesitate in defending our homeland when the time comes," Dunkerque answered

"_Baltimore, always the one to be sure everyone is safe. She and Georgia would probably get along quite well," _Gabriel thought to himself before turning back to the task at hand

Which only lasted a few seconds before Cleveland's mouth opened, "So, Admiral, is it true you had...sex...with Shoukaku and Akagi?"

The world stopped immediately as the Admiral turned back to Cleveland with a panicked expression. How the hell did she learn…...Oh fuck. Littorio spilled the beans didn't she? Cleveland's question caught the attention of the other girls who looked at him in shock. Baltimore's face lit up scarlet at such a question while Dunkerque was...curious?

"Um…." the Admiral began, his mind working overtime for an excuse, "Where did you hear that?"

"Cara told me. I was going to ask you something but you were asleep at the time and we were talking about stuff. She just happened to mention it. Is there a problem?" Cleveland explained, a light blush dusting her face although it was easy to miss

Gabriel slowly banged his head against the wall as he chastised himself mentally, "Goddammit Littorio."

"Wait! You did it with Littorio too!" Baltimore exclaimed, her blush growing darker at the thought of her superior falling for the charms of the Italian Battleship

"What? NO! I wouldn't do that unless I wanted to."

"I knew it! You are a pervert!" Hamman's voice called from outside, their conversation being heard thanks to an open window

Dunkerque then grabbed his left arm, pressed her well-endowed bosom against it, "Would you be that intimate with me, mon amour~?"

Now it was the Admiral's turn for his face to have a scarlet blush as each one of the girls were looking at him for an answer. Baltimore was unable to make coherent sentences as this revelation seemed to put an armor-piercing around into her mind.

"Cleve, why did you have to ask that?" Gabriel grumbled, wishing that the light cruiser hadn't spoken said question

Cleveland looked away with a pout on her face that complimented her blush, "I am a woman, Admiral. I have a right to know."

A sigh escaped his lips, "Yeah...it did happen. My parents always taught me to put a ring on a woman's finger before you took them to bed. Well, I clearly did the opposite so...Let's get back to work."

The women relented their future prying as the Admiral got back to the important task of helping them set up decorations. Hopefully, the Royal Navy wouldn't ask him these questions, unless it was Queen Elizabeth. God would only know those answers until he got them himself.

* * *

"So you all heard about it too?"

Gabriel was lying on a couch that was quite elegant. Having a dark blue color paired with golden trimming on the edges. The room was quite regal from what he was used to but it was commonplace within the dorms of the Royal Navy. His head currently rested on the lap of Hood while she stroked a bare hand through his hair. Spending another hour or two putting up decorations got exhausting with how repetitive it was. A small amount of rest did wonders to the body on a long day's work.

Hood, who had been silent since she offered her company so the Admiral could relax, then spoke, "You should know how word quickly spreads around here. Like wildfires, they spread quickly and without remorse."

"Poetic. How are the preparations on your end?"

"Very well, Mr. Harper. Today was mainly taking count of how many items we must order. Financing such matters are already being taken care of by Belfast."

Gabriel looked up at Hood, brow slightly furrowed, "Hood, you don't have to be formal about my name. You can just call me Gabriel."

A knock at the door prompted their attention. Who could that be? None of the maids were to bother Hood unless it was urgent nor one of the other members of the Royal Navy. The question was swiftly answered by a soft voice, "Papa, are you in there? Can I come in?"

"Yes, I'm here."

The door opened to reveal Unicorn holding her beloved U-chan close to her chest. The only difference about the both of them was the small Santa hat on their heads. No doubt Unicorn wanted to get into the festive mood a bit more than other shipgirls. Speaking of festive mood, who was going to handle the gift-giving this year? Enterprise?

"Papa, can you help me with the Christmas tree?"

Unicorn, being as adorable as she was, was giving him the puppy dog eyes to further convince the man to help her. As much as he was tired from the decorations he helped put up in the Eagle Union dorms, the request was too hard to deny.

"Alright, where is this Christmas tree?" he asked, having not seen one when he first entered

"In the middle of the town as we did last year. Her Majesty even ordered the largest tree that could be shipped. We weren't able to afford one last year but this year was most favorable," Hood answered

The Admiral slowly rose from his resting position and put on his winter coat. Unicorn eagerly ran out towards the exit of the Royal dorms so she could get to the Christmas tree first. Hood hummed at the sight of how happy Unicorn was before she herself rose to join them. It was already late afternoon/early evening so the sun was beginning to set and the chill of the snow set in. The earlier decorations were still set although the past couple of hours allowed the shipgirls to put up more festive items. It was beginning to look less like a naval base and more like home.

Unicorn was basically pulling Gabriel along as she had her hand firmly around his. It was a wonder that she wasn't pulling his arm off with her strength, although she was much weaker than others. His other hand was held by Hood who was giggling at the sight of the man being easily pulled. The center of the town was getting closer and closer with every step they took and the large true Hood spoke of was visible. Firmly set in a patch of dirt , the imposing plant towered all those who were on the base and all the buildings.

"That's one large tree," the Admiral commented

A large group of destroyers from all factions were gathered around the said tree, already getting to work on placing ornaments. They could probably get towards the first five or six feet before ladders were needed. Even so, the ladders would only go so far and this might require machinery to get up there. Unicorn proceeded into the crowd, no doubt looking for Javelin, Ayanami, Laffey and Z23. A heartwarming moment to bear with the plain tree slowly turning into something beautiful. It would take many hours, but many hours of fun and enjoyment.

Hood finally decided to speak, "She seems so happy when you go along with her. She used to be so shy at first."

Gabriel pondered over those words, thinking back to his first day on the base. Unicorn could hardly speak a sentence before she reduced herself to mumbles. Over a few months, she slowly got out of her protective shell to form a friendship with the Starter Squad. A couple more months and she would visit him. Then she started calling him "Big Brother" for some reason which left the former Commander confused. Give a couple of years and now she saw him as her father figure. It must be nice to be the only guy on the base.

"Years fly by so fast. One day, I had a fleet of maybe ten shipgirls and now there are hundreds. To think that the Wisdom cubes could give hundreds of ships life still astounds me."

"But are we warships or people?" questioned the elegant lady

The answer should be obvious but it also was one that politicians would argue for ages about, "To me, you are people. I think the average person would think so as well. Some might think you are robotic constructions of old ships but I don't think they can deny how your actions have kept humanity from extinction."

A smile tranced Hood's lips, her hands behind her back but within one of her sleeves, it held an item. The Admiral's attention went back to the large group of destroyers. The light from the street lights reflected off of the decorations that were being placed; reds, greens, silvers and golds all sparkling. Hood slowly brought her hands forward and held a small box neatly wrapped. She tapped his shoulder to get his attention.

"Admiral, an early present," Hood said, presenting the box to him

Gabriel wanted to question what it was but since Hood went out of her way to wrap the small box, he should not ask. Slowly, he unwrapped the gift until he was presented with a smaller dark blue box. This had to be a promise ring box, there was no doubt about it. Looking back up towards the battlecruiser in front of him, a small blush on her cheeks but she was not embarrassed. Had she waited until now to do this?

"Hood…"

"It was only a matter of time, Mr. Harper. The Queen was generous enough to buy this ring for us. If you may," Hood stated while presenting her left hand

The Admiral didn't hesitate in opening the small box which held the oath ring. This wasn't the first time he had done this, but it was still a little nerve wracking. Delicately, he took the ring from the soft cloth that held it in place before taking Hood's warm hand in his other hand. Then, he placed the oath ring on her ring finger, the reflective metal bouncing the nearby light.

Once that was finished, the battlecruiser smiled warmly as she inspected the ring that was firmly on her ring finger, "How does the beginning of the new year sound to you, darling~?"

A smile went on Gabriel's face along with a huge blush as he wasn't expecting the ceremony to be planned out so soon, "Sure. Let's help decorate that tree before Unicorn complains about me showing favoritism."

"Very well."

* * *

It was close to midnight by the time Gabriel opened the door to his home. His stomach was growling like crazy and his body was aching from standing in the cold for so long. At least the girls were able to get a good portion of the tree done. Unicorn was lazily asleep on his back, refusing to go back to the Royal dorms. A strong and savory smell was in the air, prompting the stomach to growl louder.

"Roon, I'm home," he said with a tired sigh, bringing Unicorn towards his bed so she could get some rest.

Sadly, the small shipgirl that considered herself his daughter grabbed the sleeve of his coat before the Admiral could go eat, "Can you...read me a bedtime story?"

Despite his tiredness, it was almost impossible to refuse such a request to the little light carrier, "Ok. Just one, one that my father told me when I was a young boy."

Unicorn got herself under the covers with her curiosity piqued that Gabriel would tell a bedtime story he was told. Roon was watching from the doorway with her own desire to hear such a tale. If it weren't for the sizzling of the pan in the kitchen that called her away temporarily, she would have heard the first part.

"There was once a soldier who had three sons. Each one was deeply loved by him and his sons equally loved their father. One day, when the boys became men, the father was too old to fight in a war his home was about to enter. So, his sons joined to protect their home…"

"Like you?" Unicorn asked, assuming the story was about him and his family

Gabriel chuckled, shaking his head, "No. Let me finish the story."

Before long, the night sky basked the naval base with a full moon. The stars sparkled brightly and would continue until the morning. Gabriel could wait to see what weapon was sent towards him. Probably another prototype gun of sorts, but he would never realize that it would be something unorthodox.

* * *

**Like always, leave a comment and tell me how you feel about the story. Focusing on more fluff and heartwarming stuff. I considered doing a Valentine story but I'll tackle it another day. Good luck on your pulls!**

**Stay tuned and Happy Valentine's Day~**


	22. Chapter 22

**Hey everyone, sorry for having to remake this chapter out of nowhere. There was some serious plot problems when I was brainstorming the next chapter so I decided to remake it. Now, enjoy the official chapter.**

* * *

"Alright Martin, let's see what you got for me today."

Right in front of Gabriel was a small crate that looked no larger than a footlocker the average soldier might have during basic training. A wooden exterior kept the items inside safe from any harm although Sheffield had informed him there was a weapon inside. A weapon meant for him, but why would they ship a wooden box? If it was a weapon, High Command would have encased such things in metal containers or in much larger crates than this. So, what was in the box that required such a small size.

The answer came from a small slip of paper that came with the shipment. A slip of paper that described what was in the container. It wasn't for him; it was for some of his shipgirls thanks to the eggheads coming up with something quite genius. At least, it would be a genius idea if they told him what this weapon was. All he saw was a big sign that said 'CLASSIFIED' with multiple sentences inked out. Five cubes meant for five shipgirls but it wasn't specific on who at the time.

Really? They couldn't have at least given him some sort of clue as to who could benefit from all this? Gabriel shook his head with an annoyed sigh. Whatever, he'll have to figure it out the hard way. Lifting the lid open to see the Wisdom Cubes inside that had been tinkered with. Hopefully this would be a great weapon to hold over the Sirens once the attacks began again.

"I better head down to Akashi's warehouse before I have some girls try out these modifications. Besides, Christmas is coming soon."

The Admiral closed the crate before lifting the light box and heading towards the warehouse. He hadn't touched the armor for quite some time and maybe he should check out for little kinks. While Hipper was amazing at maintaining it, it wasn't fair of him to burden her with the task. With the crate in his hands, all he could think about was everything from the past month; from the beginning of his counterpart making contact with him to those machines.

One thing still befuddled him, what was with all the different Wisdom Cubes and that dream? Gabriel wasn't exactly the average human anymore yet, there was something nagging at his mind to complete. Like, he needed to accomplish something or that whole experience would be for naught. Pair that with Hood's plans for their marriage to happen sometime in the new year, the stress was beginning to climb. Not to mention there were the other shipgirls that he was really close to. Would they want to push for marriage as well?

Sighing to himself, Gabriel couldn't help but mentally prepare himself for the worst, _"Now who would be next to marry? Let's see, Shoukaku is next in line compared to how much time we spent together but, when should I propose?"_

Lost in his thoughts, the Admiral didn't pay attention to his surroundings nor the women he passed by. There was much to do since Christmas was only days away with a good portion of the decorations completed. Work to keep the snow off the roads was constant thanks to the weather but supposedly, it should clear up within a week. Presents were being gathered with some of the shipgirls having Secret Santa gifts ready. It was looking to be a good Christmas although much livelier.

Placing the crate down on the floor within the warehouse, Gabriel went towards the tech lab to see the unused suit. Neither Akashi nor Hipper were there which left him alone to mess around until they got back. The armor was placed on a table in pieces with its power source, the Pure Cube, resting on another table with scanners running constant analysis. There were still some secrets to it that he had yet to uncover, but what kind?

Looking at the cube compelled him to touch it once more. Reaching out, he placed his finger softly around the cool surface which glowed brightly in response. The warehouse began to shift and disappear from his peripheral vision. Reality was bent to the cube's will as there was just a single door surrounded by a dull field of white. A single golden lock kept the door shut, but what was beyond the door?

"Hello?" the Admiral called out to the large expanse that seemed endless. His voice echoed for an eternity to no one. Not a single soul was around and the only object was the lock on the door. A key was necessary to remove the lock and when he tried to reach for his revolver to shoot it off, it was missing.

Gabriel then resorted to inspecting the lock a bit further, possibly finding any clue to the shape of the key. Sadly, as soon as he touched the metal lock, the world shifted back to normal with the warehouse coming back into view.

"_The hell was all that? Is there something I need to know behind that door?" _

Deciding to think on it while doing some menial tasks, Gabriel set about fiddling with his helmet. The men who had fought on the frontlines would have died for technology like this if it was available at the beginning of the war. Well, technically it was, but humanity was still experimenting on the Wisdom Cubes and learning more secrets the more time they spent on tests. The shipgirls were the pinnacle so far but that begged the question; what would happen once more was unlocked?

"Master, pardon the intrusion."

The Admiral's attention went to the voice to find Sheffield standing at the doorway, "Is there something needed, Sheffield?"

"Akagi has requested your presence. She has fallen ill and wishes for you to take care of her."

"I'll be there shortly. Is there anything else?"

She shook her head, "Not as of now, Master."

The Admiral placed his helmet back down on the table before making his way out into the snow. Although there were plenty of Sakura who could take care of Akagi, he could entertain her better. Besides, he hadn't gotten to talk to her very much without Shoukaku butting in. As much as he loved the younger carrier, her antics were unnecessary. No need to rile up the Sakura when they should be unified under his leadership.

Right now, he had some snow to trudge through.

* * *

Cesare fiddled with her pocket watch, a thing she did to pass the time that it became her habit when thinking. However, she had been doing this for the past hour while staring at the sea of snow outside of Sardegna dorms. Her thoughts could only focus on Gabriel and their time in Italy. She hadn't expected him to be bold enough to kiss her and that left her thinking that scene over the past days.

"Still thinking, Cesare?" Cavour's voice rang, the eldest of her class sitting near the fireplace while reading the newspaper, "You aren't going to get any closer waiting here."

"Sorella," Cesare began, closing her pocket watch, "Do you think he kissed me because he wanted to or he was forced to?"

"Hm? Ah, aren't you the one who instructed him to take decisive actions when the time came for such? I believe the Admiral did so earnestly, but I do have to ask," Cavour put down her newspaper, "What were you two doing on your ship on the return trip?"

A scarlet blush rose in the younger sister's face but her frown never faltered, "We didn't do anything compromising. A kiss...or two. He mostly slept through the trip."

"If only Da Vinci was here, she would have told you to press on," an amused grin was on the elder sister before it fell, "She would have heckled you about it. She didn't deserve the kind of death that cut her life so short."

"She always looked up to us. If only I.."

"It wasn't your fault. I pressed the government to help her but they refused due to the budget. They sold her ship for scrap…" Cavour's eyes burned with anger but she had more than enough composure to control it, "I could have saved her."

Cesare only looked back at the snow with the crackling of wood filling her ears, "It seems the Royal Navy has made their first move."

"Yes, yes they have. That could have been you if you weren't debating yourself," Cavour muttered, "Then again, Hood is a very good choice for the Admiral. Elegant, classy, a perfect wife for a suitable man. He'll get along with the British nobles just fine."

Cesare's face soured with the indirect insult, "He doesn't like crowds. The nobles would chew him up whether or not Hood can protect him. They are all the same no matter what country they are from."

"Vero, he did just tell his actual name and ran off as fast as he could. Gabriel Harper...hm...The first name is a very good choice. Although I don't approve of his last."

"I didn't ask if you approved. If we get married…"

Cavour interrupted, "When you get married."

Cesare grumbled a little but continued, "When we get married, those details can be discussed. Now what is Littorio plotting?"

A short chuckle left Cavour's lips, "Isn't it obvious, Sorella? She wants to marry the Admiral too, but she wants the position it brings."

"Egotistical little…"

"Mm, that she is, but you can't fault her for being more direct. That is her nature and she is doing well to weave her way into his heart. Although, I don't think he is very receptive to her advances if she made any."

Cavour looked to Cesare only to find the battleship had left the room, leaving the eldest sister to her lonesome. Turning back to her newspaper, Cavour turned the page to catch up on some drama while drinking some tea. At least she got Cesare to move again by only mentioning Littorio and her possible reasons to become Gabriel's wife.

"I hope you are ready for the longest siege in your life, Admiral Gabriel."

* * *

Gabriel made his way through the snow encumbered naval base all the way towards the Sakura dorms. The trip itself could have gone much worse, considering the tales he heard of the Northern Parliament. Avrora loved to talk about her homeland over some drinks and mentioned that one day, her friends would come to visit. He didn't want to imagine going through a land that was covered in snow half the time. His trip would end with him coming up the cobblestone pathway towards the dorm.

Once he reached the front door to the Sakura dorms, he respectfully took off his shoes and left them outside. Upon entry, his sock-covered feet felt the cool wood beneath even though the building interior was kept warm. He knew where Akagi's room was so he didn't need any assistance from the other girls. Step by step, he crossed through long hallways with sliding doors of other shipgirls. Once he reached the end of the hallway, he was met with a large door that had to be Akagi's.

Considering she was sick, as Sheffield informed him, Akagi must be taking a nap since he didn't hear anything. Still, he shouldn't just open the door since it was wrong and the best course of action was to knock. Gabriel took a breath to relax before he knocked a few times. Moments passed without a response so he knocked again. No response was given.

"She must be napping."

As much as he didn't want to, the Admiral decided to open the door to enter. Akagi was asleep on her bed with a damp towel on her forehead. Her cheeks were flushed with her eyes peacefully closed like some of those childhood stories about a sleeping princess. It must have been fever or a cold that was affecting the Sakura carrier. The recent weather had to be the culprit despite the fact Akagi had her large tails to keep her warm.

He kneeled down beside her with one of his hands brushing the top of her head. The touch of his hand caused Akagi's ears to twitch and her face to scrunch up. Before too long, her eyes opened slightly with her head-turning towards Gabriel.

"Mm... Admiral?"

He smiled down at her, "Hey, are you feeling better?"

"Mm... Much better now that you're here."

Akagi began to sit herself up, not wanting to let a little sickness ruin a moment with Gabriel. He waited until she felt comfortable before he asked, "Was there anything in particular that you wanted to speak to me about? You need some rest if you are sick."

"Am I not allowed to simply speak to the one I love?" the kitsune carrier replied

"Fair enough," he shrugged, "Then tell me something, remember the first time we met during the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor?"

Akagi nodded, "I remember. I was different then."

"I know that, but you mentioned something about fate having a role in all this," he gave a moment of thought before continuing, "Every encounter with the Sirens and these most recent events have gotten me thinking something is at play. Things are more complicated than ever before."

"Perhaps fate has decided to play its hand once more. I'm confident that all will end well, even if we are the last ones to sur-"

"What about Kaga and Amagi?"

Akagi blinked with her demeanor being broken in an instant, "O-Of course I would want my dear sisters to survive."

The Admiral shook his head, chuckling at how easy it was to make the Sakura woman change her words, "Don't worry, I think we'll be ok. We haven't exactly gone soft since the last time the Sirens attacked. I'm just hoping that I'm not too arrogant to see something right in front of me."

He felt his hands being gently held in the kitsune's grasp, her fingers rubbing over them in a loving manner, "You're overthinking everything. As my dear sister Amagi told me whenever I felt frustrated; yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery and today is a gift."

Despite how touching Akagi made that saying, Gabriel gave her a deadpan look, "That sounds like something out of a movie. But...yeah, you have a point."

His thoughts went towards the two other kitsune sisters and his eventual ties with them. Although Kaga was more of a metaphorical sister rather than a blood relative. How many shipgirls would he be related to with his current predicament? Too many was the simple answer, but he didn't have a problem with it overall.

"Could you please go get me some tea?" the Admiral heard Akagi tell him

He gave a nod before turning behind him to find a plate with a teapot and a cup. Pouring a drink meant to help with Akagi's recovery, he quickly handed to her. They sat in silence, but the moment was peaceful.

"I do look forward to the day when this war ends," Akagi mentioned, taking a sip of the warm drink with a pleasant sigh

"Yeah...I do too."

The faint sound of a flute could be heard coming outside the dorms. No doubt it was from Shoukaku since she was the only one who consistently played the small instrument. The sound alone made the atmosphere feel more pleasant and warming for the individual. If days could be like this after the war, it would be the greatest gift Gabriel could ask for. But the war was still here even without the Sirens, no matter how distant they seemed to be.

"Teitoku?" Akagi's voice got his attention once more, "Is there possibly a way we could use those Sirens to open a gate?"

"You mean Ember and Ash?" the Admiral questioned, "They aren't Sirens, just darker versions of Enterprise and Takao that are willing to fight with us instead of against us. I don't know if they could open a gate into the Siren's world."

"If they could, we could unleash a preemptive strike before the Sirens gather enough strength to fight back."

"Again, we don't know if that is possible. I wouldn't be surprised if the Sirens prevented their portals from being used by non-Sirens."

Akagi took another sip of her tea, "If we can find any disabled Siren capital ships, I can tap into them to make a portal. I've done it before."

Gabriel's gaze hardened with concern, "Akagi, I've heard what happened the last time you did that."

"But I can do it," the kitsune responded

"Akagi, no. I don't need martyrs. I need every one of you alive and ready to fight at a moment's notice," he retorted back

The Sakura woman frowned, "Hard decisions must be made if we are to finish the Sirens once and for all."

Her words did nothing to convince him otherwise, "I've lost a lot of people before I got assigned here years ago. I don't want to lose any more people."

Before he knew it, Akagi's tails had wrapped around him and pulled him into her grasp. Gabriel's head was rested against her bosom while she embraced him tenderly. No words had to be spoken to understand what Akagi was going to say. Despite her tendency to show her yandere personality, she had a tender and loving side. While she may not be as intimidating as Roon, it just made this moment all the more enjoyable. Hopefully, no one popped in to see them or it could get a little chaotic.

Then again, he was the commanding officer so nothing bad could go wrong.

* * *

The day had gone so well and now it had come down to the worst part. Stacked on top of the desk was a large assortment of papers. Not from commissions or exercises, but Christmas wish lists that he had to take care of. Ever since his first Christmas spent on this base, it had become a tradition that he was responsible for fulfilling the wishes of those on the base. At least he had to get one of the requested presents. The only issue was the destroyers made up seventy-five percent of the requests with pages upon pages of Christmas presents.

"Sheffield...please tell me this is everything," Gabriel grumbled, ready to admit defeat to how these presents were getting out of hand.

Sadly, the maid did not spare him of misery, "I'm afraid not, Master. This was only half of the requests, at least see double than what you are looking at.

"Please have the Royal Maids get them quickly, I have quite a few phone calls to make."

"Master, may I ask something?"

The Admiral looked up from his desk, "Yes, what is it?"

Sheffield took went over towards the larger calendar that had multiple tasks labeled on each day, "I couldn't help but notice that the days leading up to the new year are vacant."

"Yes, there isn't a lot going on as far as I'm concerned. Is there something I should be aware of?" he asked, picking up the subtle hint the maid was throwing towards him

Sheffield pondered while looking at the empty days before New Year's Eve, "If you are generous enough, Master, then may I request a trip to England?"

"So, you want to have a date?"

"I see you aren't as blind to romance as I thought you were."

Gabriel rolled his eyes, "I learned to pick up the subtle signs the longer I've been here. Alright, let's set the date then."

Like before, the rare moments of Sheffield having a smile just happened, "I'm glad. Now let's get to sorting out the budget for this year's holiday or you'll be lazy again."

The Admiral would have agreed if his office wasn't suddenly opened by Cesare who looked to be a bit peeved for some reason. Did she talk to Littorio or had to stop a brawl from occurring between the Iris and Sardegna Empire? Did one of the destroyers try to prank her when she was doing something very important? Had he forgotten something she asked of him?

"Admiral, I'll make my time short here. I want you to be my personal date for the New Year's banquet," the Italian Battleship stated, keeping her anger back

Silence followed from him as he let the demand sink in, "Ok. You're the first to ask me so yeah, I can do that for you."

A relieved sigh left her lips, "Good, I was beginning to fear that I was too late."

"Too late? Oh," he began to realize what she meant, "No one has asked me to be their partner at the banquet. I'm a bit surprised no one has until you showed up."

"Yes, be sure to dress well for this event," Sheffield added

Cesare looked at the maid with one hand on her hip, "Of course, no doubt everyone else will dress for the occasion. I'm going to have to pay that damn greedy cat."

"No kidding," the Admiral agreed, "you girls have no idea how much I pay her on a yearly basis for the little things. She's going to get a nice paycheck very soon with all the phone calls I have to make."

"Will you need any assistance?" Cesare offered

"I have Sheffield already doing that for me but I will not deny an extra pair of hands with this great endeavor. I'm going to have a couple of sleepless days."

With that said, the trio got to work with Gabriel having to make several phone calls to set up the shipping for the presents. Cesare and Sheffield focused on organizing the wishlists based off each faction. Outside of the office, Littorio had been listening in while twirling a rose between her fingers. A smug smirk was plastered on her lips with mischief dancing in her eyes.

"Hm, I can't wait for the banquet, Admiral~."

* * *

"Yes…. Ah, good. All this information will greatly benefit us, comrade. I'll be sure to send them as matters over here aren't as grand as perceived."

The voice was feminine but with a steel tone lined into it. Although she showed friendliness at first, those who knew her had experienced a different side. She didn't fight as much as her comrades as she kept the machine working despite the many hiccups. Ever since the Sirens arrived, the grand revolution was threatened even with Ironblood technology. Her leaders either died in the name of their homeland or cowardly fell from power.

Now it was up to her to keep things in line. Despite the sudden absence of the Sirens, her country could not afford to make the same mistake twice. Thank God Azur Lane was willing to spare some help when they could. As much as she wanted more lives on the frontline, Azur Lane was only able to give supplies. It would help, but the Sirens were not a type to stay down.

"Yes...I know of him...Oh?" The owner of the voice leaned into her desk with interest in her eyes, "So the others have joined him? I see...Hm? A pact through marriage? Very old fashioned of a compromise that shows the…."

The voice on the other line was saying words that piqued the woman's interests even more, "Wait, so if he...Very good, I now see the whole picture. I'll send them his way, I believe Chapayev will be very suitable."

The call ended as the woman looked up to find a couple of shipgirls sitting patiently. One of them was clearly taller due to her being a battleship while her compatriot was a light cruiser, an old light cruiser. One dressed much more conservatively with her uniform covering every inch other than her shoes. The smaller one was mostly covered with her uniform reaching just above the thighs before leggings covered the rest. The battleship was serious while the light cruiser seemed to be eager for the news.

"Comrades, as much as I want to say that our struggle is over...that would be a lie. The Sirens may have retreated for now but the damage they did still haunts us to this very day. I'm afraid that we will not be so fortunate next time," the woman stated with her hands clasped tightly in front of her

The battleship spoke right away, "Soyuz, we have held the Sirens back for years despite their overwhelming numbers. They do not know this land like we do."

Soyuz replied, "Much blood was spilled. Bodies we cannot replace, and starvation was rampant without the aid of the other nations. I will not let the land of our forefathers fall due to ignorance."

The light cruiser hummed and mused, "Hm, so are we going to meet the Admiral? Avrora talks so much about him. I would wager a drink that her time with Azur Lane has made her fall for him."

"That may be," Soyuz began while resting against her chair, "But Avrora knows what is at stake if we do not have continued support. She holds nothing romantic about him but that's where you two and Chapayev come in."

The two shipgirls looked at their leader with confusion. They were going to meet this famous Admiral who had not only held the Sirens back but dealt a serious blow in return. Although his name was classified to the populace, all the shipgirls knew it. What was Soyuz's plan for the three of them?

"One of you is going to marry the Admiral."

* * *

**Ok, the next chapter is going to be one of my longer chapters. So that one will take quite some time and I will have to be sure I don't make any mistakes along the way just so I don't have to rewrite it. **

**I hope you enjoyed this rewritten chapter. Stay tuned.**


	23. Chapter 23

_**North Pacific Sea**_

Water was forcefully pushed aside as three figures surged forth towards their desired destination. Their speed caused the lower end of their jackets to flap erratically in tandem to the current they faced. The sun was barely rising on them with darkness falling back to regain its strength. Days of travel had gotten them much progress but…

"Agh! Why haven't we gotten there already?!" said one of the figures with gritted teeth and clenched fists

One of the others answered, "Several more hours if we don't get lost again."

"Forgive me, comrade, I forgot to prepare all my essentials since Pamiat was so impatient," the last one added while preventing a giggle from escaping her mouth.

"If Kurov were here, she would have given us all a severe punishment for making such a mistake. I hope this Admiral is a hard worker because I worked really hard for Soyuz's favor."

"From what Azur Lane has told us about this Admiral, I hear he has quite a record on him. We won't know what type of person he is until we meet him first hand."

"Rossiya, we all know what we must do but we will be in the hands of an Admiral from the Eagle Union. You cannot expect him to comply so easily with Soyuz's offer."

The woman replied, "You may be right but, the motherland comes first."

They would soon go back to silence while increasing their speed by a few more knots. The faster they got to their destination, the better.

* * *

"That should be the last one."

Gabriel wiped his hands with a small towel as he observed what laid in front of him. Stacks of presents neatly organized onto a red sleigh. It was surprising that hundreds of presents could fit inside such a transport. If a mythical fat man in a red suit could do it with much more items, then why couldn't Gabriel? The only problem that was going to face him was moving the damn thing to the large Christmas tree at the center of the base's town.

Today was Christmas Eve, the day that he had waited for a long time. This would be one of the two holidays before his marriage with Hood. The plans were still being drawn up but if the Admiral had to guess, he would assume sometime mid-January. That left roughly two to three weeks of preparation on the Royal Navy's part. That said, there was also another reason that Christmas Eve was special for today.

Three members of the Northern Parliament would be arriving today. Avrora talked much about them but Gabriel preferred to see for himself. As far as he knew, there could be some bad blood between them and the Ironbloods due to their history. Then, there were the controversial aspects of their homeland that he heard stories about. But, this was before the Sirens had ramped up the war and everything changed. Who knew what the Northern Parliament was like now.

With the current tasks done, for now, Gabriel made his way down to the docks to await the arrival of the three shipgirls. The sky was a bright blue in conjunction with the sun's glorifying light. Although the atmosphere was still cold, the snow was going to slowly evaporate and return to its never-ending cycle. Little did he know that the snow would cloak something from his sight.

"Hopefully the snow is all gone by next week," Gabriel said, kicking a clump of snow that obstructed his path. The substance flying a short distance before landing harmlessly on the ground in many smaller pieces.

Suddenly the world went dark as something was blocking his sight. The Admiral felt someone's skin touching his own and it only took a moment to realize that someone was purposely blinding him.

"Guess who," a feminine voice said

He could easily tell whose voice that was but just for the sake of the tease, "Hm, I don't know because I can't see who it is."

"You're no fun, Teitoku," the voice stated as whatever had obstructed his vision was removed. He caught a glimpse of gloved hands before they fled from his peripheral view. Turning around, Gabriel came face to face with Shoukaku.

"Not bothering Akagi today?" Gabriel rose a brow with his lips curling upwards slightly.

The woman grabbed his right arm and leaned slightly against him, "No. It wouldn't be very kind of me to keep senpai from resting. Besides, it is my turn to be by your side."

"I was unaware that you all agreed to take turns."

The Admiral was met with a light slap to his cheek and a carrier who had a frown, "Teitoku, don't say dumb things like that."

"Sorry, I'll try not to have Hornet's remarks rub off on me," he replied back before turning in the direction of the docks, "We got some guests coming very soon."

The two walked down to the docks to await the shipgirls. Multiple ships had to be moved to other parts to make room for the Russians. Manjus worked constantly to scrape off ice and snow from the hulls of the ships. The small birds were able to fit down the barrels of the battleships to prevent any blockage while smaller guns needed tools to perform the necessary task. The aircraft carriers were a bit easier to maintain since they housed mostly plains and the flat decks were less difficult to clean.

While they waited, Shoukaku spoke, "From what I have heard through Mikasa's tales, the Northern Parliament was once a monarchy that had terrible leadership."

"It was much more than that," a grimace crossed Gabriel's face, "It was like fate dealt the worst hand it could to them. I wouldn't want to look down on the Northern Parliament so early until they arrive."

"Even so, I had heard about all the things that occurred during their revolution. Mikasa mentioned having a friend in their ranks other than Avrora."

"Another older warship? Huh, I didn't think we would see any more."

"You thought wrong, Admiral," said a voice behind the two. The holder of the voice being the ever so dignified Queen Elizabeth. She didn't have her usual escort but came alone to the docks for reasons unknown.

"What brings the Queen of the Royal Navy out here?" the Admiral asked

Elizabeth gazed at the open ocean while answering, "You should know that Azur Lane has done its part to support the Northern Parliament during the first Siren attack. Without our resources, they would have fallen to the enemy within a few short weeks."

The Admiral would have liked a story about the Northern Parliament's efforts in stopping the Sirens but he began noticing something approaching in the distance. Three humanoid shapes that he could hardly make out but they were making fast progress. One of them began to double its efforts and sped at an even faster pace towards the docks. Instead of stopping right at the edge, the first shipgirl made a leap off of the water followed by a somersault.

Once she landed, Gabriel got his first-hand experience at the standard look of the Northern Parliament forces. Like the tundras that he had only seen pictures of, their uniforms were as pure as snow with the second coat of fur. The girl in front of him had orbs of violet that seemed to pull his attention with a gentle tug.

"Yahoo~! So this is the homeport? Are you the Admiral?" her eyes began to trace him up and down for confirmation, "I thought you would be a little older but that's fine. I am Pamiat Merkuria, Light Cruiser of the Northern Parliament. My rigging may be a bit old-fashioned but I am a menace in the Black Sea."

"Admiral Gabriel Harper, welcome to our naval base," Gabriel introduced himself followed with a casual extension of his hand to greet the shipgirl. He soon realized how 'vertically challenged' the light cruiser was as he had to lower his hand more. It seemed even the older ships could be as small as Queen Elizabeth. Pamiat had a higher octave in her voice that seemed to betray her age but such was the case when dealing with shipgirls.

Speaking of the Queen, one of her brows was twitching along with her staff being held tightly. What the Admiral failed to notice right away was that this old light cruiser was blessed rather than royalty herself. If he had looked back at the battleship, he might have noticed a vein beginning to show itself.

"My comrades should be here any moment now but I have to ask, is there Sakura ramen here? I haven't had a bowl in years," Pamiat inquired

"I would be happy to make some for you since I am the secretary for today," Shoukaku answered with a side glance towards Gabriel. A look that he knew meant some form of teasing later on. At least his attention turned back to the arrival of the two other representatives.

Like their comrade before them, the two other representatives had similar uniforms that spoke of their homeland. The only difference between them was one girl was not ashamed in revealing herself a bit more. Despite this, the Admiral's eyes were focused on the tallest woman who's gaze had the strength of a black hole. A shiver ran down his spine the longer he kept contact with the crimson gaze.

"You are the Admiral, huh~..hehe. My expectations have been surpassed," the shorter of the two shipgirls said, a hand covering her mouth while her other hand held a chain attached to her rigging. Her short blue hair confused Gabriel to think she looked similar to Gascogne. Like Pamiat, she too was blessed with gifts although her voice carried silk to the ear.

"Are you insinuating that the Admiral was going to be a lowly man?" Queen Elizabeth questioned back, her staff pointing at the woman with a single thrust.

"Aha, I mean no disrespect. My apologies, Light Cruiser of the Northern Parliament, Chapayev, is under your command," the woman replied back, bowing slightly to confirm her intentions.

Gabriel followed Chapayev's example and performed a casual bow in return, "Welcome to the fleet, Chapayev. My name is Gabriel Harper, you may refer to me however you like."

He extended a hand for a shake but did not expect the light cruiser to take it with both of her hands, "We should get to know each other more, Admiral~."

"Chapayev," the battleship behind her seemed to rein in the leash with the light cruiser letting go of Gabriel's hand. Once she was out of the way, the battleship spoke, "Forgive her tendencies , comrade Admiral. I am Sovetskaya Rossiya, lead battleship of the Northern Parliament. My power is in your hands."

"It's good to have all of you, but, why only three? Avrora has told me there were more but only you three came around," the Admiral said, looking back out to the sea for any signs of other shipgirls.

Pamiat was about to answer but a hand blocked her lips from speaking. Rossiya cleared her throat, "Our other comrades are needed back at our homeland. If the Sirens ever attack again, we need a line of defense."

"Makes sense, let me give you all a quick tour of the base."

As the Admiral led the three Russian shipgirls around, Shoukaku looked back at Queen Elizabeth to find the loli battleship shaking. The grip on her staff was tight enough where she threatened to break it if she used more strength. The Sakura carrier placed a hand on Elizabeth's shoulder which forced a sudden reaction out of her. Elizabeth spun around like a child being spooked by a fellow friend.

"Ah! Sorry Shoukaku, I was lost in thought. Those Parliament girls are something," Queen Elizabeth commented. Her gaze then narrowed to the floor, "Especially that cruiser girl with that old rigging."

"You don't recognize her? I thought all ships from the First Great War knew each other," the Sakura Carrier said in return.

The Queen shook her head, "The Northern Parliament was different back then; before the revolution that changed them. Good times back then, battleships broadsiding in massive lines."

The shipgirl went silent for a moment, holding her staff with both hands while gazing towards the sea, "I miss them...Queen Mary the most. I wasn't there when it all happened but Warspite saw it first hand. But, those times are gone now and girls like you rule the seas but it feels good to be in the thick of it all.

Shoukaku gazed towards the sea as well with the image of large battleships exchanging rounds. Carriers now took that role with their planes being the live ammunition rather than turrets firing large ordnance. To think that only happened within thirty years before aircraft carriers became the dominant force on the seas was heartbreaking. At least they were all united to fight a common enemy.

"I should go. I don't want to leave Teitoku alone with handling those three women on his own," Shoukaku finally stated, earning a small nod from the small battleship.

"You should, they might just steal him away under your nose." Elizabeth giggled before turning to the Sakura woman. "I appreciate you lending an ear to an old lady like myself."

The carrier gave a smile in reply and turned to catch up towards the group. Once she was out of sight, Elizabeth sighed as if she held something in for quite a while. Then, she too left the docks to perform some daily tasks.

* * *

"And this is where Akashi does all her magic."

Gabriel pushed open the door to the tech lab where the great machine lay with cases of Wisdom cubes stored near the walls. He had taken the Northern shipgirls around some of the basic buildings like the administration office, the canteen, the small academy and etc. As of now, the shipgirls would have their quarters set up in the same building of the Dragon Empery. Currently, they had gone back to their homeland with his permission and there were plenty of rooms. The only small complaint would be they basically had the whole building to themselves; no doubt getting the ire of the other factions.

"Hm," Rossiya hummed while looking around the summoning device closely, "So is this how you were able to summon those from the fallen?"

He nodded, "Yes, but I can't just attempt it at will. The cubes have to 'speak' to me before I even try. The only exception were the priority ships since that was a matter of waiting. I can't just summon someone from death at any moment."

"When was the last time you 'heard' from these cubes?" Pamiat said as she opened one of the cases where a few Wisdom Cubes sat idly.

The Admiral scratched the back of his head, "I would say I haven't summoned a shipgirl in a whole year. They've been silent for that long but I'm confident they'll react at some point. There was this one time ..."

He froze for a moment with his brain stopping shutting his mouth down from leaking the information. They didn't know about the Pure Cube or the incidents with the mechanical beasts. Although, the Northern shipgirls' riggings awfully reminded him of his first encounter with the Leviathan. Was it a coincidence?

His thoughts were broken when he felt someone's gloved hand rest on his shoulder. Upon closer inspection, it belonged to Chapayev. He felt an aura come off of her that was enticing him to relax and tell her all his secrets. Like a subtle wind wanting to carry him through distant plains. It didn't help that those icy blue eyes of hers were drawing him in, "You can tell us whatever is troubling you, Admiral. We are in your care now."

"It's...something I'll tell you all later. I'd like to get to know you three first before I speak about more important matters," the Admiral replied, leaning back against the machine with his arms crossed.

"That is fine, Admiral. It is common to be wary of strangers no matter how noble they may seem. How do you normally get to know a new member of the base?" Rossiya waved off his professional response

"Secretary work or sorties. Since the Sirens have been absent as of late, there is no need for them."

"I...see."

Gabriel gave a grunt while pushing himself off the machine, "Alright, I think that is everything. If there is anything you girls need from me, just let me know. You three are free to do whatever you want so long as it doesn't cause any issues on base."

He watched them all nod and leave before the familiar feeling came back to him when he looked at Chapayev. The light cruiser gave him a wink before leaving the building as it left the Admiral thinking to himself. Either she knew how to get his attention or his perverted desires were coming back to bite him in the ass. I mean, she did have a great body to look at along with her clearly exposing a good amount of her breasts with her open jacket.

"_Goddammit! I'm falling for that again." _he silently smacked himself before he found himself falling into the floor when something hit him from behind.

Pain worked its way into his body while Gabriel was a bit stunned that something had suddenly attacked him. There was no one else in the room. Looking around, he found no traces of anyone being present near him or even outside the door. So who just smacked him in the back of the head if no one was in the area?

"_Amiral…"_

He whirled around to the sound of the voice to see the same woman that he saw during his time in France. This had to be Jean's sister, the former leader of the Iris. Gabriel relaxed his shoulders and slowly approached the holy woman. His mind felt scrambled with any explanation of seeing someone who should be dead. He hadn't even summoned her yet she stood in front of him right now.

A sudden force overpowered his body with his legs falling down to his knees. His voice was silenced before it could make a sound. A ringing of voices entered his ears like the chorus of a choir perfectly tuned. He felt so small in the presence of someone much larger. In his entire career, the Admiral never felt this way from anyone.

It would be easy to mistake the woman for being alive if she wasn't semi-transparent. Her ghost floated over towards the previous crate of Wisdom cubes before touching one of them. For a moment, the dull cube was unresponsive but it would light up suddenly. Richelieu's ghost would turn back to Gabriel and give him a bow before vanishing with the powered cube shining brightly. No words needed to explain what he needed to do.

He quickly flipped a few switches to get the summoning machine up and running before grabbing the Wisdom Cube and placing it within. The cube began to float within the instrument before energy began to pump into it. The cube began to whirl slowly at first with energy raising its velocity until it suddenly exploded. Smoke filled the room, forcing the Admiral to cough and exit the warehouse temporarily.

He suddenly bumped into the approaching Shoukaku and fell onto his back.

"Teitoku? Are you alright?" asked the Sakura woman. She reached down to help him to his feet while he quickly nodded. There was no need to worry her with what was going on inside the warehouse.

"Yes, I'm alright. I was just doing some test runs to be sure the lab is in working order." Gabriel muttered before adjusting himself accordingly, "Let's get back to the celebrations shall we?"

Shoukaku's face scrunched up as if examining him, "It wasn't those Northern women causing you some trouble were they?"

"No, just saw something that I didn't expect. In fact, someone has come back and I consider it a great present to the Iris."

Shoukaku raised a brow with her mind buzzing on who he was talking about. As far as she was concerned, every shipgirl was either on this base or working for Azur Lane in their homelands. Was there someone that hadn't been summoned back? If so, who?

"Amiral, by the grace of God, you have done it. What a pleasant surprise." a voice said behind him before Shoukaku got a full view of the Iris monarch. From her bright clothing to her tall stature that seemed to loom over Gabriel.

The Sakura carrier looked at him for an explanation, one he was ready to give, "This is Richelieu, leader of the Iris Libre. I just summoned her."

Richelieu was about to greet the carrier properly until a hesitant look crossed her face, "Amiral, Jean is on this base, oui? I must see her."

At this moment, Shoukaku leaned close to Gabriel to where she could whisper in his ear, "Didn't her country go through a division."

He nodded, "Yes, we need to make sure both sides don't erupt into conflict. I'm honestly expecting this to get worse." Gabriel then turned to Richelieu with a nod before escorting the holy woman to the French dorms. He didn't know what to expect from Jean but he really hoped it all worked well. This was Christmas Eve and what a better way to give a blessed gift than bringing back her sister?

* * *

Cool wind bristled past with the blades of grass forced to bend to its whim. The sun stood firm above the base yet it was beginning to fall to rest. The blue oceans stood below a large cliff that stood to overwatch the docks. Ember observed the new arrivals and how the base was preparing for the festive day. She made no comment about it nor did Ash, who seemed to wander off somewhere. It was just her standing over this familiar cliff but in different circumstances.

"The pieces are shifting around. The final game will begin," Ember muttered.

"The final game?"

Ember closed her eyes and released a short breath. She didn't turn to face the person who spoke those words. Behind her stood someone she used to be and representing a past life she once had. How such things used to be yet they were forced to change.

"The final battle. Are you prepared?" Ember asked, letting the question settle on her counterpart's mind.

Takao answered, "I'm prepared to die for what I believe in and who I care for. If it achieves the final victory, then so be it."

"If it comes to it, are you prepared to lose him?" Ember raised another question but with a much more obvious intention.

Takao narrowed her eyes with a fierce fire growing within them, "That won't ever happen so long as I live."

"So you say, but you know well enough that battles can end with unexpected results. You should be ready to lose those who are close to you."

"If that's what you say, then why did you turn to the Sirens? Doesn't that make all the sacrifices in vain?"

Ember finally turned back towards Takao with her own expression souring, "I did what I had to do. You should be grateful that I am on your side and not theirs."

"Would they see it that way?" Takao replied back, "Would your sisters understand you breaking your code and working with the enemy?"

Ember then began to approach her counterpart with her hand firmly placed on her blade, "You don't know what it is like to lose everything you hold dear."

Takao would have a response for that if she didn't hear something behind her. Quickly turning, she spotted Maya walking up the path towards the cliff. When her gaze returned back to her dark counterpart, she was nowhere to be seen.

"Is something wrong, nee-san?" Maya asked her bewildered oldest sister

"No. I was thinking about some personal matters." Takao said to her youngest sister while walking away from the cliff. Ember's words didn't shake her resolve yet there was truth in what she said. A final battle to end this war which could only mean the Sirens would throw everything they had at them. It was just a matter of when.

* * *

The doors to the French dorms opened as Richelieu let her eyes wander around her surroundings. Neither Gabriel or Shoukaku could blame the newly arrived battleship from feeling curious about this island. He didn't give her a tour like he did the Northern Parliament but he generalized much of the factions present on the base. A few that Richelieu was not too pleased to hear.

"So even the Ironblood and Sardegna Empire have joined you?" asked Richelieu with her right hand rising to her head as if a headache was erupting. She couldn't believe that enemies who took over her homeland at one point in her life were now allied once more. It was a good thing for sure but it just seemed too sudden. Had she been gone for that long already?

"Not willingly at first," Gabriel admitted with a shrug, "Hell, some even gave us a hard time before they surrendered or I convinced them to join. It does help when the Sirens show themselves and make a mess of things. Lots of paperwork."

Shoukaku hummed, "I was one of the lucky ones to not be sunk in his hands. Although, I cannot say the same for my other senpais."

Their voices caused some of the doors within the proceeding hallways to open up. A few members of the Iris Libre and Vichya looked out their rooms to spot their former leader in the flesh. Those of the Iris immediately rushed Richelieu with bright smiles and tears of joy before attempting to compose themselves and kneel. Those of the Vichya were quite different.

Dunkerque was the first to speak, approaching Richelieu hesitantly like a child about to be scolded by her parents. Considering the Vichya's defection, it wasn't hard to see why, "Richelieu...are you...do you forgive us?"

To her surprise, Richelieu brought the battlecruiser into a hug rather than force her to kneel. The Admiral was a bit perplexed that she didn't administer some sort of punishment for past crimes. He surmised that spending time as a spirit with the grace of God must have made her very merciful. Either way, the surrounding French shipgirls were more than elated by this action.

"Hello sister." The hallway suddenly stopped their joyous moment to meet the very last obstacle in their path. Standing in the hallway was Jean, her expression that bordered on a frown looking at her blessed sister. Any form of happiness died in an instant as the corsair stood her ground and showed no signs of giving in.

"Jean...It's been too long." Richelieu took a step forward but the opposing battleship did not budge. She simply stood there and stared at her brighter sister. The others were left to wonder what was going on inside Jean's head as this stare continued. Gabriel even wondered if Jean was trying to hold herself back from unleashing a rant.

To everyone's surprise, the corsair simply grunted a "yeah" before turning her back on the whole group. Any tension that had built up was gone yet it left Richelieu looking more troubled.

"Jean, wait. Are you not happy to see me?"

Jean stopped mid-step before answering, "Oh, I'm happy to see you. I can finally make myself useful while you manage everyone. If you need me, I'll be getting ready for a patrol."

With that, the corsair proceeded to leave the dorms without anyone stopping or attempting to stop her. The Admiral looked back at Richelieu to find her forlorn and needed to use her flag to steady herself. Shoukaku gave him a quick look before gesturing in the direction of Jean Bart. The message was very clear, find out what was the drama between Jean and Richelieu. Gabriel jogged right out of the dorms to catch up with the corsair before she went off into the seas.

Thankfully, he caught her still walking down the path towards the docks. However, he noted that her hands were balled up into fists and her shoulders were tense. Her teeth were clenched like a snarling lion with her footsteps occasionally kicking up dirt. Quickly approaching, he got the battleship's attention.

"Jean, got a moment?"

"What do you want?" The Vichya battleship relaxed before turning his way, crossing her arms over her chest with indifference.

"You mind telling me what happened between you and your sister?" the Admiral questioned seriously, adopting a stern gaze.

Not surprisingly, she wasn't going to spill. "None of your business."

"It IS my business if this is going to hamper your combat performance. If there is something causing some inner strife between you two, I need to know it right now so we can work this out." He retorted.

"I don't need someone to try and give me therapy for something my sister did! I'm better off without her." Jean stormed off towards her ship in a hurry. It seemed like a crack had appeared in her defenses which Gabriel was going to exploit. He followed after her all the way to the docks which was beginning to annoy the battleship more and more. It wasn't till he boarded her ship that she turned once more to face him.

"Get off my ship, Admiral." Her warning was filled with an evident hiss. Yet, the Admiral was bothered by it all thanks to his experience with much more terrifying shipgirls.

"Tell me what's wrong and I'll get off."

"You really want to know so badly?" Jean gave him the sharpest glare she could muster before she began stomping around. Her face forming that snarl from just a minute ago and her fists clenched so tightly her arms were shaking. She looked ready to punch something in an instant but she held herself back. "How would you feel if you were betrayed by your own siblings?"

Gabriel frowned at the question with the intent very clear. It didn't take a brainiac to answer a simple question like that; anyone would be pissed to be betrayed by a relative. As much as he wanted to answer the question, he was going to entertain the battleship. "I wouldn't know first hand. Care to explain?"

* * *

_**Years Ago**_

_In the beautiful shores of France, a fierce battle was at play. Cannons roared between two fleets: one of Royal Navy and one of the Templar Knights. Overhead this battle was a fortress that was accompanied by Jean Bart and Richelieu. The younger of the two was watching the naval battle with her hands gripping the edges of a window. Her eyes burning in the entire scene and the snarl beginning to form itself. The older sister contrasted her with neutrality dawning on her face._

"_How can these 'liberators' demand our surrender if they are to stop the Ironbloods? I won't let them stand for this."_

"_Sister, please, we are caught between two sides with the Sirens bearing down on us. Headquarters won't answer our call and the Royal Navy will not wait."_

_Jean turned with her first smashing the glass in front of her, "So you'll let them terrorize our citizens? Raid our ports? Sink our sisters in arms?!"_

"_It's..." Richeleiu grimaced as she heard an explosion, "There is nothing I can do until Hea-"_

"_Headquarters will not help us!" Jean's rigging formed in an instant despite the fact she was not fully constructed. "It is only us and the Templars that can protect our home. We cannot expect freedom from foreigners. If you won't fight, I will!"_

_A nearby door opened before an injured Dunkerque staggered her way towards the two sisters. Her clothing was bleached with soot and multiple tears were evident. Her hair was messy and a stream of blood was falling near her visible eye. Jean Bart caught her fellow battlecruiser before she faltered under her injuries. "Forgive me, I could not stop them."_

_A quick glare came from Jean, "Rest here, dear friend, I'll make sure they don't proceed further. Not another inch."_

"_Jean…" Richelieu reached out towards her sister but was swatted away_

"_Make sure the Templars are ready for battle, what's left of them. I'll buy you all as much time as I can."_

_The younger sister then proceeded to leave the fortress to confront the oncoming threat._

* * *

Jean was leaning against the railing of her ship with her elbows resting on the cool metal. Her snarl was replaced by her usual frown with her aura having dampened slowly. The Admiral had listened intently to her recollection of her country's darkest times during the early years of the war. There were records that Massachusetts gave him about her encounters with the French battleship that told of a different tale. Even the newly freed French government told a slightly different story.

"You're mad at yourself as much as you are at your sister." Gabriel spoke his conclusive thought on the whole matter. This did not please the battleship as Jean removed herself from the railing to look him directly in the eyes.

"What gave you that idea? Was it that Eagle Union girl I traded shots with?"

"It's what I can gather from everyone's view on what happened during that time. I can certainly sympathize with how Richelieu took no action. I would have done the same thing in your shoes." He gave a sigh with thoughts of his fallen brothers coming to mind, "But you can't directly put all the blame on your sister."

Jean scoffed, "What do you propose I do? Apologize?"

A stern look rose itself on Gabriel's face, "Talk about it. Move past those events and focus on what's in front of you. You never know when you won't have your sibling around."

He began to walk down the ramp like he stated earlier. Jean kept her frown although her gaze went towards the floor, contemplating the Admiral's advice. By the time the Admiral touched the docks with his feet, Jean rose to speak. "Suppose I take your advice, would you care to meditate?"

A smile graced the man's lips, "You know where to find me."

After that encounter with Jean, Gabriel had decided to take a small break and rest at his office for a short time. It was getting close to dark by now and everyone must have been waiting for the time to open their presents. The thought of himself getting something came to mind but Gabriel would be fine to not receive anything. There wasn't anything he desired more than for this war to end so he could go home.

_Home…_

"What is my home?" He wondered to himself on the simple word. The Admiral spent so long on this base that he wondered if this was his home now. All these women relied on him for leadership yet there had to be some family back at the states wondering about him. What of his mother since the years after his brothers' death? He had cousins but did they even bother remembering him?

Looking at the calendar near the wall, Gabriel contemplated the matter. He couldn't exactly leave this base without an escort nor could he leave it for too long. The brass still wanted him on the frontline with the shipgirls doing routine patrols for Siren activity. A day or two away never hurt anyone with the lack of combat but there were those mechanical beasts in the seas. Someone had to destroy them or at least subdue their presence. Sadly, they haven't made any appearance beside the first.

The Admiral tapped his fingers against the desk as he looked for some days that were free. Besides his date with Sheffield, which she requested they visit England for, there was relatively nothing planned. With heart-swelling, he marked two days for a trip. A special trip to get away from the naval base and visit his home city.

His office door opened with Shoukaku entering, "How did your talk go?"

"Could have gone worse. I was able to convince Jean to at least talk about her issues with Richelieu. Getting them to make up for lost time will be another challenge."

"Are you ready for the gift exchange? Everyone is assembling around the tree and the children are awaiting Santaprise." Shoukaku said with a small smile curling up her lips.

Gabriel nodded, "Yeah, I don't want to keep them waiting."

Except, as he made his way out of the office, Shoukaku stopped him just under the doorway. Raising a brow, the Admiral did not understand why they were under the doorway until he looked upwards and noticed a small item. A small green plant hung just under the doorway that had years of symbolism in many cultures. Before he could make a response, the Sakura carrier placed her hands on his shoulders and kissed him on the lips. He returned the kiss before the duo left the office building to join the rest of the girls in the town.

As they made their way, the same red sleigh from earlier flew by the two with a joyful Enterprise. It was a humorous sight since the lead aircraft carrier took this day very seriously for the children on the base. For a second, Gabriel could've sworn he saw Essex sitting in the back of the sleigh dressed as an elf. Oh, how the destroyers would get a kick out of that one. Not wanting to be left behind, the duo proceeded as quickly as they could.

By the time they arrived, presents were already being handed out. The sky was slowly becoming nighttime as the stars began to shine their grace on the base. One particular star was shining the brightest among the thousands that can be observed. The hum and voices of a choir could be heard in conjunction with the tree lighting up.

"Admiral, a gift for you." Cavour suddenly approached the man holding a rather rectangular box with Christmas. "On behalf of the Sardegna Empire, accept this." The rest of the Italian ships soon were behind their veteran shipgirl with expectant looks. They all seemed eager to have him open it.

Gabriel smiled down at the smaller battleship and took the gift into his hands. "Thank you."

Curiosity got the best of him as he cut through the wrapping and opened the box to find a large piece of cloth. At least, that's what it looked like. As he pulled it out, he noted it was a little heavier than it looked and there were a couple of latches to hook it together. The Admiral was still confused by what it was until he unfolded it to realize what it was. It was then that Littorio stepped forward, "Allow me."

Cesare shot her a small glare but didn't protest against the maneuver. Gabriel handed over the large piece of cloth to Littorio where she threw it over his shoulders and locked the latches around his neck. The cloth covered most of his body and rested comfortably on top of his clothing. It was a naval cloak fit for a man of his size. Colored in a beautiful dark blue and holding the Azur Lane symbol on the back. Fitting for the man in charge of leading this entire fleet.

"We couldn't think of anything right away to give you but it was my idea you have something to add to your uniform," Cesare explained before her eyes went to Littorio for a moment. The Admiral wondered if there was something brewing between the two that he was unaware of. Did that explain why she demanded to be his partner in the New Year's banquet?

Gabriel still couldn't help but give a smile at the Italian shipgirls, "Thank you for the gift. I'll make sure to use it often."

It was then that he heard the other factions look towards his direction with mild jealousy in their eyes before they presented their own gifts. He sweatdropped with all these gifts presented towards him and wondered how long it was going to take to clean up the place. Sighing to this fate, Gabriel went ahead to open as many gifts as he could. Although, something came from the very edges of his eyes.

Something came out of the water only to slink back into it in a serpentine manner. The moonlight above glinted off the creature's body. He couldn't see the colors but he already had an idea what it could be. It was no whale and definitely no shark. That could only mean one thing…

It was time to go hunting.

* * *

**Phew. I was just able to finish this without falling into too many writer's block moments. I'll be starting on the next chapter right away and planning to do the first chapter of my side story. I hope everyone here is taking this global pandemic seriously and please be safe.**

**With love.**


	24. Chapter 24

Light spilled into the office as curtains were pulled apart. What was once a dark room had exiled the darkness for the beginning of the day. Maps were placed on the nearby desk with records being pulled from every conceivable source. Pens, papers, and other instruments were strewn over the maps with multiple coins marking locations. Thumbtacks comfortably laid in a small box, awaiting for their use in this giant mess.

"Admiral, what are you doing?"

"Narrowing down an area to find that Leviathan."

Gabriel had been pulling all these supplies for the past hour with Pamiat serving as his first secretary of the day followed by the other Northern girls. However, since the paperwork was unnecessary until the following week, he had Pamiat grab him all these supplies. The old cruiser was giving him a look of wonder as he seemed to run back and forth across the office. He set up multiple maps of the oceans before going over intel reports from various countries. There were sightings of a strange thing in the ocean which only prompted the man to hunt it down. It didn't help that it showed up on Christmas Eve.

"You didn't see anything odd on your way here?" the Admiral asked while marking locations on the multiple maps. He looked back at Pamiat for an answer while he clutched at some intel in one hand.

She shook her head, "I'm afraid not. It was just a long and boring journey to get over here. No Sirens or any enemy vessels to harass us along the way. Not like they could do anything."

He gave a short nod before resuming his work. "So, you're a cruiser from the first great war like Avrora? Does it feel odd to be one of the oldest among your peers?"

Pamiat smiled a little as she plucked a coin off of Gabriel's desk. She flipped it into the air multiple times before answering, "Well, I'm not alone in that department. Gangut is only younger than me by a few years. That just means I have to do less work than everyone else and that is just fine."

Gabriel chuckled a little, "Are you saying that you're going to break your back if you lift anything somewhat heavy? I can make sure you only carry office supplies if that's what you're asking for."

The light cruiser crossed her arms while scrunching her face a little, "Respect your elders young man. My ship may be old but I am not brittle. I can fight like anyone else in the Northern Parliament. Just be sure not to make me fight in the front lines, my guns are not that powerful."

"Noted. This operation is going to need some heavy firepower so I won't be risking girls like you." The Admiral went back to setting up his maps beginning to connect the dots on the intel he had received. Grabbing a red pen, he began circling areas where the sightings occurred before stepping back to observe it all.

In front of him stood a large swath of the Pacific ocean littered with red dots and circles. Sightings occurred mainly around the seas between the base and the Sakura homeland. A few sights were seen as far south as the Phillipean Islands. For a creature that was packing an arsenal, it didn't seem aggressive towards any ships nor did it harass any patrols. Still, that kind of firepower could not be left roaming about the ocean to possibly attack one of his shipgirls. The sooner it was gone, the more he could focus on other matters.

"Pamiat." Gabriel placed his fingers under his chin, "How strong is Rossiya's batteries?"

Pamiat blinked before a smug smile appeared on her face, "Are you talking about her main guns or are you talking about her _other_ batteries?"

He rolled his eyes in response. She did not act anywhere like her age but her question did make him temporarily think on the lead ship's assets. That large coat of hers did a wonderful job hiding most of her body but her torpedo bu-...The Admiral pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a sigh. He couldn't be the only guy to think about stuff like that, right?

"Hm~ You were thinking about her weren't you?" Pamiat's little smile only widened more with sparkles dotting her eyes. She jumped onto the nearby sofa and laid herself comfortably, crossing one leg over the other. "She can come off quite cold at first but that's her dedication to our homeland. Chapayev on the other hand…"

"What about Chapayev? Does she not care about her country?" Gabriel questioned, assuming the opposite case for the light cruiser. Pamiat seemed eager to tell him about her comrades rather than talking about herself. Was she a matchmaker or something?

"Oh she does. It's only when she began reading your files, what we could get, that her eyes went somewhere else. Not like you haven't dealt with other women of a similar caliber."

Gabriel looked at Pamiat in confusion. What did she mean by women of similar caliber? Did Chapayev behave similarly to some of the other girls on the base? There were quite a few personalities on the base with even the obvious ones being unique in some regard. What kind of person was Chapayev for Pamiat to not tell him?

"I'm assuming that I will have to find that out myself. Plenty of time to do that." The Admiral spoke with more and more ideas popping up. One particular thought made him grin a little while looking at the older cruiser.

"How familiar are you with radar and sonar?"

Pamiat smiled while rising off of the couch with her hands on her hips, "Better than you think. I lack firepower but I know how to operate electronics."

A knock on the door caught both of their attention while also ending any further discussion. Pamiat went over to the door and opened it to reveal Chapayev waiting on the other side. What the Admiral couldn't see was whatever Pamiat said to the advanced light cruiser before leaving the office. Chapayev entered the room with a light smile on her face.

"Admiral," she greeted.

"Chapayev," He returned the greeting while looking at his work. Feeling confident in his results, he returned back to his desk. "I assume this is going to be a daily meeting of ours."

"Mmhm, how else will I get to know you better. Has Pamiat been treating you well?"

Gabriel gave a nod, "So far. I'm glad you girls haven't gotten yourselves into any drama on the base." He turned to a small assortment of refreshments that one of the maids brought him earlier in the day. "Would you like a drink?"

"Net, spasibo," Chapayev waved off the offer, taking a seat across from the Admiral. His eyes naturally wandered to her exposed cleavage with his cheeks flushing for a moment. He didn't want to come off as a pervert right off the bat. Still, she looked unaware of where his gaze was or was not ashamed of her assets.

"So….What do you want to know about me?" He finally asked with his posture relaxed against the comfortable chair. Gabriel had to use as much of his willpower to not break his gaze of Chapayev's beautiful eyes to look south. Even so, he could still see how her outfit fit snugly on her body and accentuated her curves.

His only relief was when she spoke, "We do know that you came from the Eagle Union but I would like to know what your life was like before this war."

The Admiral's gaze looked away and he tapped his fingers on his thigh. It took a few moments of silence before he answered, "I was just a civilian. A young man with dreams in theater until the war happened."

Chapayev's eyes seemed to brighten with this new information before she leaned forward with her elbows landing on the desk. "Theater? A man like yourself wouldn't be interested in that sort of field. I thought you would be a part of a military upbringing."

"I was," Gabriel replied with his eyes lasered on a small frame. A portrait of five human beings smiling towards the camera with four of them being male and one female. All dressed in their best uniform except for one of the men wearing a simple suit. "My father was part of the navy and my brothers joined the military before the conflict started. I was the only one to pursue something different."

"And where are they now?" Chapayev questioned

A grimace revealed itself, "Dead except for my mother. She's a tough lady for having to be there for their funerals."

A hand rested on his shoulder as the light cruiser gave him a sympathetic look. Whatever her plan was, it was working on Gabriel. His mind tried to reel in any further information but his heart broke through the wall. "I was applying for some musicals and headed eastward until I got the news. From there, I lost any interest in my dreams and I wanted to just avenge my family."

The Russian woman leaned back, "Have you avenged them?"

"Not yet...the Sirens are out there somewhere." Gabriel muttered, his body hunching over to contemplate something. "Do you know how it feels to lose family?"

"Somewhat but we do not have mothers or fathers." Chapayev answered back

"It's something I think about every once in a while. Gives me more of a reason to bring everyone together as best I can." He chuckled under his breath with lips curling upwards. "I don't want to relive those events ever again."

"So you formed a new one with these shipgirls?" Chapayev smirked with her eyebrows raised.

The Admiral couldn't deny that assumption. He just gave her a nod before shaking his head with a chuckle, "It's not perfect, especially with this whole dilemma going around, but it works."

A twinkle was seen in the light cruiser's eyes that made Gabriel a little uneasy, "Even with the marriage contracts? Hm~ You are a little devious aren't you?"

He looked away with his cheeks flushing darkly, "Yeah...don't remind me of that. I'm trying to take things slow unless I want a major mess on my hands." He rose from his seat and fixed his uniform as he turned towards the woman. "I'm afraid I have a hunt awaiting me. Thank you for the talk, Chapayev."

"The pleasure is all mine, Admiral. If you ever need someone to talk to, do not hesitate to come to me~" Chapayev replied while rising to her feet. She walked out of the office but gave Gabriel a wink before she disappeared out of view. He only stared at her backside before his eyes roamed southward and followed the sway in her step.

"_Dammit!" _The Admiral cursed himself.

* * *

"I never should have told him."

Pamiat grumbled to herself as she sped through the waters. Following behind her was Helena, Ibuki and San Diego who were all equipped with advanced sensors. Shortly after Pamiat had answered Gabriel's question, he had quickly gotten a fleet together filled with mostly battleships and heavy cruisers. The four light cruisers had the best part of the job, searching for the beast while everyone stayed behind.

"I don't understand why the Admiral didn't send any scouting planes ahead of us. We're basically running blind around a large ocean." Helena checked her sensors for any pings while also fiddling with her turrets. Being the best cruiser that could spot enemies for the rest of the fleet, it was natural that she was part of this operation.

"If this creature is what he said it was, planes won't be able to spot it from above. The sooner we find it and where it is heading, the faster we can have the others follow." Ibuki spoke while keeping her eyes peeled for any disturbance in the water.

True to her word, following at a much slower pace was the heavier units. Heavy cruisers, battleships and carriers followed the four scouts with all the girls settled on Hornet. The Admiral was awaiting any confirmation of Leviathan's presence while stroking his chin. Once the four light cruisers found their target, then the cavalry could come in with heavy ordnance. The only thing stopping them was that exact moment to happen.

"Yo, Harper, staring at those maps isn't going to make this go any faster," He heard Hornet's voice call to him from the entrance of the command tower.

"Relax, he's making sure we don't get lost during the chase." Baltimore's voice was also heard; no doubt keeping Hornet from being too impatient.

That was definitely what Gabriel was up to, making sure to keep track of where they were going. It was one thing to chase something down and it was another to get lost while doing it. It would be a shame to spend days wandering the oceans without any results or without finding their way back to base.

"Hey, you two." the Admiral called down to the girls. "Start getting everyone up here for debriefing. You're all going to need to know what we're facing."

It didn't take long before the command bridge was now filled with various shipgirls. With a curt nod, Gabriel allowed Gneisenau to place a small emitter on the floor. A holographic display of the first Leviathan enveloped the bridge. He let the girls eye what could potentially be the hardest challenge they were going to face until the Sirens showed up again.

"As you can see, the beast the Admiral encountered weeks ago is advanced Ironblood tech. No one within the Ironblood could recreate this technological marvel and not even our riggings could be this large." Gneisenau began her explanation before the holographic display suddenly sprouted multiple appendages. "It seems to have many laser cannons similar to those on Siren cruisers while mainly armed with some sort of beam-based weapon in its mouth."

"Do we even know that this one is made up the same way? For all we know, it could be even stronger?" Hipper spoke out among the large group of girls assembled.

Gabriel shook his head, "No. Even more of a reason to kill it before it causes any damage. The Sirens wouldn't suddenly send them over here if they weren't trying to cause some damage." He turned towards his right, "Ash, anything you want to add?"

All eyes turned towards the fallen Enterprise who was near a window. She had joined the group while Ember stayed on base. Most the shipgirls had tolerated her presence thanks to Enterprise basically chaperoning for her counterpart but it didn't make the tensions ease. Notably, those who had faced her in the past.

Ash turned towards the others with her soulless eyes ignoring some harsh glares, "Don't expect to kill it in a single volley. Those things were built as a last resort so expect this one to be more armored than the first."

"She is right on the armored portion." Gneisenau added before turning back to the display. "The weakest portions had the durability of a battleship with the head alone being armored beyond that. From the report, it took several volleys to break through one layer of armor."

"From priority ships no less. My sixteen inch guns were able to crack through those plates but I can't guarantee it will do the same this time around." Georgia said with hands clasped behind her back in a professional manner.

"You didn't have air support then, but you do now." Hornet grinned, tilting her hat towards the priority battleship. She was right that Gabriel's first encounter was purely with main guns and torpedos but without any supporting carriers. It could be easier with Hornet and Ash giving support.

"So what is the plan once we get the signal?" Jean Bart raised her scowl on the Leviathan schematic in front of her.

She would be surprised with Gabriel's answer, "Simple, we bring it to us. If all goes well, it will chase after the cruisers and bring it within battleship range where all of you will shell it to death. If it closes the distance more, then all the heavy cruisers will open fire. Carriers will be harassing the Leviathan as it gives chase."

"And if it doesn't?" Cesare rose a brow. The Italian woman having also joined thanks to her firepower and torpedoes being necessary. Littorio had also joined since her barrage coupled with her unique batteries would be a huge boost to this hunt.

The Admiral gave a smirk, "It will once we piss it off."

* * *

Back with the scouts, San Diego was whistling a little tune under her breath as the reconnaissance continued. An hour had passed since they last checked in with the main fleet and not a single blip appeared on the sonars. It didn't help that she had to be the only one to carry an additional ordinance to make Gabriel's plan work.

"I got something!" Helena shouted as her sonar began to reveal a single large dot while making an echoing sound.

The group stopped in their place as the blip was just west of them by a few miles. San Diego looked back at her rigging before making it drop all her depth charges. The other girls looked at her in shock at what she was doing before the sea began to rumble. A metal appendage rose from the ocean before the entire head of the Leviathan followed. Unlike the first one, this Leviathan was considerably different.

It more resembled the shark-like features of the Ironblood riggings but paired with a serpentine body. The red lines around its body began pulsating some sort of energy and the sounds of gears clanking together could be heard. The armor plating hardly looked scratched from the depth charges but there was a visible stain. This creature roared at the group before its mouth began charging some sort of attack.

"Admiral, we found the target. Returning to you now." Ibuki said through the calms. She made an about face being rushing back towards the direction of the main fleet. The others followed suit but there was one problem.

Unlike the others, Pamiat was much slower. Her old rigging didn't help as she wasn't built to be as fast as her more modern counterparts. As a result, she was in the rear of the group "Hey! Wait for me! I'm not as fast as you new cruisers!"

The Leviathan fired its attack, missing the old Russian boat but causing a considerable amount of steam to form a small smokescreen. The light cruisers sped off towards the main fleet with the Leviathan roaring before diving into the water after them. One of the spiky appendages poked out of the water which gave a shark-like fin appearance.

Gabriel hadn't been sitting idly. Once the signal had been given and Ibuki confirmed that they had the Leviathan chasing them, he had ordered every battleship off of the ship and ready for combat. They formed a line with their cannons ready to fire once the creature showed itself while Hornet prepared her planes for an airstrike. Ash stood on the end of Hornet's flight deck with her bow in hand and rigging ready for a tough fight.

Anxiety tried to trickle itself into his nervous system but the Admiral pushed it down as soon as he felt it. He couldn't let this plan fail or the shipping lanes would be constantly harassed by a giant sentient rigging that attacked anything in sight. Once that thing appeared within range, the bombardment would begin.

Then….he saw the light cruisers in the distance.

"There they are," Hornet noted before her eyes narrowed to seeing something poking out of the water behind the scouts. "I think that's our target. Should we give it the ol' one-two punch?"

Gabriel smiled lightly, "With your bombers, I don't think it'll want to show itself. Just have them ready to drop the payload on my command."

"Aye aye."

He looked back out to barely see the metal appendage coming out of the ocean. It chased after the light cruisers relentlessly but at a much slower pace. The Admiral turned on all radios to relay orders to the fleet as the time for their big fight was inbound.

A light grin rested on his face, "Colorado, how confident are you in hitting a target from twenty kilometers out?"

"Kilometers?" He heard the battleship question on the other end

He shook his head at such a small mistake, "Sorry, twenty-two thousand yards and closing fast."

Gabriel continued to watch his Ibuki's group rush towards his position before the sounds of battleship batteries broke the silence. The sound of crashing thunder breaking any form of ease with tension replacing it. Second by second, Gabriel could only use binoculars to view his approaching vanguard and await the imminent land of the shells. What kind of armament this Leviathan could possess compared to its dead brethren was an uncertainty.

Pillars of water suddenly rose into the air with a few explosions here and there. The appendage sunk below the waves after the barrage of shells had landed with nothing to indicate the damage. The Admiral breathed slowly with his ears tuning to hear the littlest sound while his eyes scanned for the smallest ounce of metal. He could hear his heartbeat with how silent it got.

Then it happened….

Seemingly right in front of the aircraft carrier, the beast had surfaced with gallons of water shooting up into the sky. Gabriel could only stare at the Ironblood color scheme of this last resort creation feet away from the command deck. How it was able to close the distance so fast and remain undetected like its predecessor was still marveling to him.

"Admiral! Look out!"

He was suddenly tugged back as the Leviathan suddenly darted forward with its mechanical head and tore half of the command deck right off. The teeth barely missed the human as Hornet practically saved him from certain death in an instant. Words failed him as fear temporarily took over by having Gabriel quickly move himself as far away from that thing as possible. His whole plan had basically been bypassed so suddenly because he underestimated his enemy.

An explosion suddenly rocked above the Leviathan's head with Corsairs making bombing runs on the large beast. It roared in fury before pieces of its armor began moving to reveal multiple laser cannons that began firing at the pesky aircraft. The aircraft carrier began moving backward to put as much distance away while the machine was distracted.

Finally steeling his nerves, Gabriel began issuing orders. "All battleships, fire at will! Send this bastard under the sea!" He looked back at Hornet who was prepping her bombers like he wanted. They would be necessary in delivering some heavy ordnance if the battleships couldn't punch through that armor.

The seas were lit up with multiple pillars of water with several rounds slamming into the Leviathan. The armor plating went back to normal with several of the laser cannons having been blown off. The mouth began to light up with a crimson red before firing towards the direction of the shipgirls firing upon it. Like before, the shipgirls moved around the beam and continued to pepper the outer armor with all forms of ammunition.

A single Corsair dropped a bomb right on the Leviathan's head, blowing off a piece of armor but doing minimal damage. The aircraft was quickly incinerated by the machine, a couple AP shells slamming into its face.

"Please tell me you have those bombers ready," Gabriel looked towards Hornet with sweat visibly forming on his face. If battleship guns and bombers weren't going to do much damage, then he might have bitten more than he could chew.

"Give me two more minutes and I'll have a whole squadron."

"Baltimore," He spoke through his radio. "I need those specialized AP rounds breaking that armor!"

It was a good thing he brought the American heavy cruiser along thanks to that specific ability of hers. Not only did she make any weapon of hers turn into an armor-piercing menace, but she helped weaken heavy armor units. The sound of her main guns filled his radio with the Leviathan roaring afterward. They just needed to buy Hornet some more and she'll get her bombers on their target.

A faint light caught Gabriel's attention as he looked towards his revolver. Unbuckling it from the holster, he saw one of the symbols on the cylinder was glowing a bright silver. It was the eagle symbol that represented the Eagle Union, the symbol of liberty. Now why was this symbol glowing on his gun of all things? Wasn't this thing designed to kill Sirens?

"Why won't you break!?" Roon growled to herself as her rigging spat both forms of ammunition at an incredible rate. A volley of torps only seemed to dent the armor but could not go through the enhanced steel. The beast began charging up another attack before firing it right at the Ironblood heavy cruiser. Despite her tough exterior, there was no possible way for Roon to survive an attack like this.

The heavy cruiser shielded her eyes from the blast until she felt something grab her and pull her out of the way. Opening her eyes once more, she saw that Ibuki had quickly pulled her out of harm's way. Flashing a quick smile towards her fellow prototype, Roon went back into action.

On the other hand, Baltimore found her guns able to crack certain portions of the Leviathan but each cracked plate was replaced with a new one. It was like a rotating system of plates to keep vital areas protected while sacrificing others. Her eyes widened in realization, "Admiral. It keeps rotating damaged plates with some of its fresh ones. If we hit it hard enough, we'll be able to crack it open."

She looked towards Georgia, "Hey, you think you can fire a volley where I crack that armor?"

"You got it, just make it quick or we'll be fried food." Georgia aimed her cannons and loaded up a special volley for the heavy cruiser.

Baltimore flashed her a confident smile before focusing her energy into her guns. They briefly turned a reddish color before she fired them off. The shells whirling through the air before slamming into the side armor of the Leviathan. Normally, shells from her guns would hardly do damage to such a target but the impacted metal began to groan. Georgia fired a volley roughly where Baltimore's shots landed and was rewarded with the metal breaking instantly. Oil spurted out of the open wound with the creature's gaze turning towards them immediately.

"Baltimore, look out!" The beast fired off another attack to which Georgia stepped forward and used part of her rigging as a shield. The beam did not penetrate the thick armor but a resulting blast caused two of Georgia's turrets to be taken out of action. Her other smaller turrets were undamaged but some electricity was sparking from them.

"You okay?" Baltimore pulled the battleship out of harm's way where she inspected how bad the damage was.

Georgia gritted her teeth as she tried to move her remaining turrets. They refused to budge and she couldn't seem to push herself forward. "No, damn thing disabled my rigging. It's going to take me a minute to get it back online. You go on and keep breaking that thing apart."

The heavy cruiser shot her a look of concern but followed the prototype's instructions anyway. With the wound now firmly in place, the Leviathan could no longer shift around its armor without exposing the wound further. As a result, it became the perfect target for some well-aimed barrages. It was then that several giant icicles fell from the sky and impacted the beast, stunning it temporarily and clogging up several of its joints. The others looked confused as to who brought that icicle storm until they saw Rossiya glowing in a blue aura.

"For the motherland, you will not step forward!" Rossiya declared before another torrent of shards fell on top of the Leviathan followed by her barrage. The strain of having so many battleships pounding the beast was beginning to show some results.

Then, a flurry of bombs exploded with several being high yield bombs from Hornet's bombers. Pieces of metal splashed everywhere with several more wounds opening up. A mighty roar erupted with more laser cannons revealing themselves and firing madly at the annoying pests. Lightning began to crackle around the Leviathan before firing in all directions.

The shipgirls stopped in their place as their rigging had shut down. Their turrets did not fire and their movement completely ceased but they could at least stay above the water. Instead of going for the easy prey, the Leviathan turned back to the retreating carrier and swam towards it.

"Shit! It's coming for us again." Hornet exclaimed with wide eyes as another squadron of her bombers were shot down.

The carrier suddenly stopped in its tracks as a serpentine body wrapped around the structure of the boat. The Leviathan looked right at Gabriel with crimson eyes boring into his own. There would be no retreat so long as that thing had a grip on Hornet's boat and she could not defend herself since her aircraft would not be able to take off.

"Well...Admiral...It was nice knowing you," Hornet sighed in acceptance of their current fate. If only she could get another squadron in the air to knock the serpent off her ship.

Gabriel had been frozen in his place and unable to react to what was coming. He heavily underestimated the Leviathan's weapon systems and despite the amount of damage his fleet had dealt, it put them out of action temporarily. He didn't know what to do with death staring at him in the face. His muscles wouldn't move nor would his mind come up with some form of escape plan.

The Leviathan opened its mouth and began charging another blast. Time slowed down as the mouth glowed a molten orange to fire at the two opponents on the carrier. That was until Ash came down from one of her Corsairs and fired an arrow into the beast's mouth. The arrow turned into a fighter and crashed inside causing a series of explosions.

The Leviathan loosened its grip on Hornet's ship as it began to sink below the waters. Once the last of the metal serpent's body sunk, Gabriel breathed a sigh of relief. "Ash, thanks for the save. I was believing that I was going to die there."

"Your welcome." The fallen carrier replied back.

The Admiral looked over the edge to watch the silhouette of the Leviathan sink further down the water. It still puzzled him that the Sirens would bring something designed to kill them over to this timeline. Would they bring other experiments to throw at the base?

Nobody truly knows what the Sirens were up to.

* * *

**Hey all, been a while since I updated and I would have had this chapter out sooner but life has not been very relieving. I've noticed a big uptick in new stories hitting fanfiction and I'm happy to see some new material. I hope all of you are taking care of yourselves and staying safe from the virus.**

**I'll be posting the side story sometime within a week or two. I currently have it on Archive but I'm planning to edit it for better quality before posting the first chapter. **


	25. Chapter 25

**Not much to be said other than this is the next chapter. Enjoy.**

* * *

Gabriel stared at the locked door once more with a revolver in hand. The last time he tried to open it, the vision had ended. This time, it didn't seem to end as he raised the gun towards the lock with the trigger ready to be pulled. Exhaling slowly, he fired the gun with the recoil forcing his hand upwards a small amount. The round smashed into the lock and broke it completely.

"Alright, what's behind that door?"

The Admiral walked forwards with his revolver still gripped tightly. He had no clue what was on the other side of the door so it was best to play it safe. Pushing the door open, a bright light blinded him so suddenly where he had to cover his eyes on reflex. Only when the light dimmed that he was able to open his eyes to see the truth. What he did see both confused him and shocked him.

Two graves with cross shaped headstones were on display. The ground they were placed had recently been disturbed like someone had just been buried. Except, one of the graves had all the dirt thrown everywhere with a large pile formed to the side. Gabriel heard a whirring sound of propellers before the sudden smashing of metal brought him to turn around.

His whole scenery changed to a dark night covering a coastland of sorts. The Admiral didn't know where he was suddenly but a bright light in the sky caught his attention. The orange fire moving slowly in his direction before flying above him and slamming into the ground. The sound of screeching metal filled his ears before it came to a stop a few seconds later. What was he seeing in front of him out of a sudden?

As much as he wanted to see more, the vision suddenly ended when the sight of his ceiling came into view. Gabriel exhaled a held breath with sweat forming on his forehead. The warm covers snugly held him along with the body heat of someone else in his bed. Looking over, he found Eugen snoozing with body flush with his. The darkness still enveloped the room with no source of light in sight.

"_Was that a dream?" _

Gabriel just stared at the ceiling with his thoughts wandering about everything he just saw. An open grave with something smashing into the ground. It looked like a fireball of sorts but he heard propellers and metal. A plane? What was a plane doing out in the middle of darkness and suddenly crashing? Was it transporting something?

He tried to go back to sleep but after thirty minutes of his eyes shutting, sleep would not come to him. Sighing, the man got up from the bed and decided to do something to get himself tired. The first that came to mind was the mail. Even on slow days, there were always letters from various officers or even High Command themselves. Maybe there was something for him to look at since he had mostly ignored the mail and left it to his secretaries.

Gabriel went over to his small desk located in a separate room of his house. If the office was too much, he liked to come over to his small work room to handle paperwork in the comfort of home. He switched on a small lamp on the desk and noticed several unopened letters right away. Most of these had to be requests for reinforcements or some permission to 'borrow' a few shipgirls for a period of time. Despite giving half of the shipgirls to the various nations as an insurance, they still wanted more?

"Denied….Denied….Transfer?" A brow raised itself at one letter standing out of the bunch. This was a new request that came straight from the fortress at the Panama Canal. Who would be requesting a transfer when that was a necessary structure for trade? Maybe they simply wanted to rotate their shipgirls around so they weren't bored keeping guard.

He knew of the defenders were mainly Eagle Union shipgirls with a few Essex-class carriers as the strong arm. There also had to be some light and heavy cruisers to be the main fighting force. Looking at the letter closer, it read:

_Dear Admiral,_

_I'm making a direct transfer request for a couple of shipgirls. Specifically, I'm transferring over Intrepid and Reno to you since High Command is sending additional resources to the fortress. With permission, it would be a great rise of morale if you could send Enterprise and Cleveland to us. Those two have a reputation and it would really help the troops if they got to see legendary figures like them in person. Feel free to deny the request if you need them more but it would be very helpful sir._

_Regards,_

_Commander Adams._

Gabriel pondered on the request as he tapped his fingers on the desk lightly. He didn't want to wake Eugen up since she could get very cranky if she didn't get rest. Then again, wouldn't anyone get a bit angry if they lacked sleep? He shook his head and grabbed a nearby pen to sign the bottom of the paper. After that, a stamp slammed into the paper with the residue leaving a red 'Approved' on the letter.

The rest of the letters were nonsense and were disposed of immediately. That didn't take as long as Gabriel hoped, but it did get his mind off the dream. Two more shipgirls were being transferred over here and two of his own shipgirls were going to be gone for a bit. Especially with Enterprise gone, he needed to help Ash get over her own issues. Ember would come next but he had a sneaking suspicion that it wouldn't be so easy with her.

The light shut off as the officer made his way back to bed with his mind juggling the various thoughts. Maybe he could sleep the rest of the night without any issue. Hopefully, God be with him, that he helps Ash in any way.

* * *

The following morning came and went with the usual breakfast and mandatory chores before office work. Once in the office, Gabriel had gotten to any paperwork that needed to be filled out immediately. Rossiya should be coming around to do her secretary duties very soon but he hoped that Ash would show up instead. At least, for a small-time before the Russian battleship arrived.

"Admiral."

Gabriel looked to see Ash standing at the doorway. The line that was her lips lacking any expression and her eyes being void. Without any formal permission, she entered the office and stood on the opposing side.

A light smile graced the Admiral's face. He put down the pen and rested his back against the comfortable chair, "Good morning."

"Good….morning." The woman's mouth barely uttered the simple phrase like a vice prevented her throat from saying the words. Her eyebrows furrowed shortly afterward, "You asked to see me?"

Gabriel looked at the nearby clock to see the large arm halfway through and the smallest arm barely about to reach the tenth mark. Given the main workload was later in the morning, this gave him some time. "Yes, I want to help you out like you asked me last time."

"Then...please show me how."

"We'll have to change that look of yours first."

The woman looked at her attire with confusion as to what the man had said. What was wrong with how she looked? It made her stand out compared to her counterpart and it was a grim reminder of her past. Was there something wrong about that? Maybe the fact she hadn't changed it for days...months...years? If it smelled, Ash didn't notice.

Her arm felt a tug before she turned to see Gabriel gently pulling her out of the office. The carrier followed with more questions rising as to what he had planned for her. The passing doors of the administration building empty of any shipgirls for the moment but would be bustling with life once winter had left. Still, the Sirens weren't the type to be hampered by weather conditions.

Their journey took them out of the building and towards the Eagle Union forms. Oddly, the Admiral veered off the path and towards the side entrance rather than the front. Ash continued to follow without raising a word as the two entered through a side door. The hallways were clear as he took her along to the rear of the building. The end of the hallway held a door to which the man opened right away. No knock to see if anyone is inside nor any hesitation out of politeness.

To Ash's surprise, the room was empty with a bed resting near a large window. The curtains were wide open with sunlight exploding through. Simple furniture lined the walls with a mirror neatly attached to the door. A closet was slightly open with multiple white shirts hanging properly followed with several black ties hooked on a hanger. Lastly, a bathroom door was placed on the leftmost wall.

But what was the meaning of it all? Wasn't this _her _room?

"Ash, close your eyes please," Gabriel said with warmth. The carrier looked for any motive as to why he ordered her to close her eyes. Any clue to what he was about to do next within those brown eyes of his. But, there was none.

Ash closed her eyes as requested. Her nerves tensed with thoughts of the man possibly trying to kiss her of all things. Her brain quickly rejected that thought as that wouldn't explain why she was in Enterprise's room of all things. Speaking of which, where was her counterpart? Out on patrols?

_Snip_

The woman's violet eyes opened to see a chunk of hair falling to the floor. A bundle of strands that went between her face now laid on the floor. Looking towards the Admiral once more, she only found him with a small smile. Was this a step out of her grief?

"That's a bit better isn't it?" he commented. Gabriel moved over to the closest to gather some things and to avoid showing the carrier a growing blush. While this wasn't the first time he has been in a shipgirl's room, this was the first time he was going through their closet. The hairs on his neck raised in anticipation of a certain destroyer walking in and finding him in a bad position.

"I don't understand," Ash stated. The lack of strands gave a full view of her face instead of obscuring it. How long had she let that lay there while the rest of her hair stayed the same if not become more wild? She looked like _her. _

"Baby steps. Nobody gets over their issues quickly." Gabriel had a bundle of clothes in his hands, presented towards the fallen carrier. It had to be a full set of attire from Enterprise due to the familiar black skirt and sleeveless white shirt. "I don't mean to be rude, but when was the last time you took a shower?"

She didn't answer but she took the clothing without any hesitation. Without words, she turned towards the bathroom but stopped at the doorway. Her head turned slightly towards him with her voice having a low tone, "How long did it take you to get over your brothers?"

The smile left his face. Taking a seat on Enterprise's bed, Gabriel answered with his eyes aimed towards the floor, "Years...It still bothers me despite the fact. I keep myself busy to forget but I can't ignore my own problems."

"You were close…"

"I was…" His lips felt heavy, dropping downwards with one hand clenched tightly. "I guess I wouldn't be here if they were gone. Still doesn't excuse their passing no matter what I do."

Ash proceeded into the restroom to take Gabriel's advice wholeheartedly. Meanwhile, the man himself got up and left the room so he could get back to the office. He didn't want to be late even though he would have loved to stay there and just talk with Ash. Trying to find that small spark left in her and ignite it back to her former self.

She just needed time…

The trip back was mostly uneventful with some of the girls passing by to wave him hello before proceeding to their duties. Some, like Bogue, asked if he wanted to join them in some activities. Too bad he had to deny them since he had paperwork to do although an idea did come to mind. One particular action that lay in his closet back at the office. Gabriel wasn't sure how many of the girls were familiar with his particular hobby.

Once back at the office, he looked towards the clock to find he had five minutes left before Rossiya should arrive. Gabriel turned towards the nearby radio and began to fiddle with the tuning before stopping onto a particular station. Right away, music poured into the office with a punchy percussion followed by the low brass instruments. He would have begun bobbing his head rhythmically to the music if it hadn't been for the door opening.

"Comrade Admiral, what kind of noise are you playing?" There in all her glory was the mighty Russian battleship herself. Her crimson eyes looked towards the radio behind the man with furrowed brows. She then turned towards him for some sort of explanation.

"It's music, Rossiya. Have you never heard of it?" Gabriel replied while tuning the volume down.

It didn't seem to satisfy the shipgirl. "I know what music is but this form is alien to me. What kind of nonsense is even being played?"

He rolled his eyes at her answer. It looked like the Northern Parliament might have been a bit _strict _on what was allowed to be played. Considering the stories he had heard from Avrora, Gabriel assumed most forms of music were practically nonexistent in Russia's homeland.

"It's called swing. Another term for it is party music." He finally stated.

"What use could you have of this music when there is work to be had?" Rossiya questioned

"Puts me in a positive mood?" Gabriel answered back with a raised brow. Was it bothering the battleship that he enjoyed listening to something to put him in a good mindset?

"...very well." The Russian woman muttered under her breath, "Just don't let it distract you from the most important matters at hand. If we are to defeat our enemy, we must maximize our efficiency. It is our parliamentary values to do our best every second of the day."

She stood tall with her back straight and one hand placed on her bosom like some sort of salute. Gabriel just stared at her with a deadpan expression since he had heard similar remarks from many of the other girls. She didn't think he was getting lazy now was she? Only a few days here and the battleship seemed to be taking charge already.

"Let's get to work then." He stated with a shrug. Turning towards the small pile of paper, he grabbed the top most piece before beginning to scan the contents. A pen armed his right hand while the left held the victim in place to its inevitable demise.

Although, his mind would get distracted once more with the sound of Rossiya's voice. "Chapayev has told me everything about your conversation with her. I find it fascinating that a man focused on the arts became a leader of humanity's only hope. You would be a wonderful hero to the people of the Northern Parliament."

"How so?" He responded without pulling his eyes from the papers.

A smile full of mirth found itself on her face but he did not see it. "Our revolution held the values that all individuals seized their own destiny and are rewarded for it. At the same time, we must do what is necessary for the greater good and for a man like yourself, you embody that spirit. A dancer who wanted revenge for his slain family members and rose to be a legendary figure."

"I wouldn't call myself that legendary. I only look at the bigger picture while the girls around the base do the actual work." Gabriel replied, "They should be the ones being revered, not me."

"Your modesty is a good value to have. But, is it not the role of a leader to keep the moral high and to outmaneuver their enemy? As important are the individuals here, your loss would be a detriment versus one of them."

"That would be true if I didn't know them all that well. I'm sure Chapayev told you that I view everyone here like a second family." Gabriel stated firmly as he stared at a particular piece of paper. "Um..Rossiya, I believe you made a small mistake."

The battleship took the paper away from him to inspect it. A light blush formed on her face shortly after she found the particular issue, "It seems I have...I'll amend it right away. Please don't tell anyone."

"Perfectionist?" he mused with a raised eyebrow

"Net. As the lead ship of the Northern Parliament, I simply have a lot of responsibility on my shoulders. There is no room for mistakes when the Sirens stood at our doorstep for years."

Gabriel's face scrunched with an air of caution washing over him. The Sirens were at the Northern Parliament's borders? How long did they position themselves there and how large of a force was standing by? If it was a base of operations, that only meant the Sirens could launch an attack at any moment without a warning.

"Are they still operational?" he asked

Rossiya shook her head to the relief of the man, "We launched a full assault around a year ago with heavy casualties. Many of our own died but we broke the fortress. Our victory was one step forward but the people had suffered so much."

"My condolences," Gabriel murmured with a bit of sadness hinted in his voice, "We should be trying to save as many lives as possible in both victories and defeats. The will of the people can be broken before the army's."

"That...we agree on." the battleship sighed, "Normally, we don't ask for the help of Azur Lane since our leaders believe we do not need assistance. This war has taught us that we cannot handle the Sirens on our own. That brings me, Chapayev, and Pamiat here."

"We'll help in any way we can. Humanity has to stick together." Gabriel responded back with a firm tone. One of confidence and assurance that what he said would go through.

"Spasibo, now then, there is much work to do. Da?"

* * *

Four hours had passed by before the Admiral called it a day with the paperwork. Despite Rossiya's missteps in the process, she didn't do too bad on the matter. Every small mistake seemed to either anger her or make her embarrassed over such minor errors. In a way, it was almost adorable to see her get so flustered over paperwork yet her battlefield experience was not lacking. He needed to ask how the Northern women were able to summon icicles out of thin air.

Walking down the path back towards the small communal town, Gabriel looked towards the Royal building that housed the ballroom. The music he played in the office had begun to make his itch fester to an unstoppable force. In one arm, he held a box while his other arm held several records to be played. With the keys stored safely in his pockets and a swing in his step, Gabriel made his way to the ballroom.

If there was one complaint he had when it came to the accommodations on base, it would be the lack of musical choice. The budget seemed to not give very much when it came to leisure in the musical department. All Gabriel had was records, the radio, and anything the other nations brought to the base. If he were back in the states, Gabriel would have all the selection of the world to go through. But for now, he'll settle with the records.

The sound of hollow wood impacting a metal surface caught his attention. Who was in the ballroom when it was supposed to be closed until further notice? Gabriel could only assume it would be one of the ladies in the Royal Navy who would have access.

Opening the unlocked double doors, the Admiral was surprised to see a familiar face within the room. One of the few self-proclaimed idols on base whose long pink hair looked as beautiful as silk. Her dress maintained a level of modesty for her position but also showing enough skin to catch any man's eye. What was she doing here if she wasn't part of the Royal Navy?

"Wow, you're so good at dancing big sister Lexington," a voice spoke out from the corner of the room. To Gabriel's left was Unicorn who seemed to marvel at the small little performance the Eagle carrier had done.

"Thank you." Lexington smiled warmly to the smaller carrier before her attention turned to the open doors. "Ah~ Admiral, what brings you to the ballroom?"

Closing the door, Gabriel set down the items held in his arms on a nearby chair, "I could ask the very same thing, Lexington. Shouldn't you be looking for Saratoga?"

"I lost track of her an hour ago and wondered if she was going to set some of her pranks in this place. Thankfully, I found none." Lexington then turned to Unicorn, "I was about to leave but little Unicorn found me here and begged me to show her some of my talent."

On cue, Unicorn hid behind her stuffed doll like a child being caught red handed, "I was just curious."

"Oh really now?" Gabrielle chuckled, "I used to dance when I was younger."

A sparkle gleaned in Lexington's eyes, "Oh? You used to be a dancer, Admiral? I thought men found dancing to be unmanly."

"Well," he scratched the back of his head while looking to the side, "I was different. If it weren't for the war, I would have been on Broadway."

"Does that explain why you have a series of records and a shoebox?" Lexington further questioned, having pierced through the thin defense the Admiral had put up.

Unicorn seemed to brighten in a sudden understanding at what the Eagle carrier was saying, "Can you show me, Papa?"

"_Dammit...I was hoping it wouldn't come to this. Ugh, this is going to be so embarrassing." _Gabrielle gave a defeated sigh. He had hoped to not have anyone else in the room so he could live the past for maybe an hour. At the same time, a feeling of nostalgia washed over him with how Unicorn looked eager to watch. It didn't help the fact she called him Papa either. "Alright, just let me change these shoes."

It would be a lie to say that Gabrielle didn't like the feeling of dance shoes on his feet. But the question was what he was going to display for the Royal light carrier. Something from a classic film was the first thing that came to mind. Searching through the various records, he found one in particular.

"So what are we going to show little Unicorn here?" Lexington asked while trying to see what record the man had placed in a nearby record player.

"Are you familiar with Singin' in the Rain?" Gabrielle responded with a veiled grin ready to break out from its constraints.

"1952?" Lexington smiled in return, "That was such a great film. Are we singing as well?"

"No…" he answered quickly.

Gabriel placed the record into the machine and placed the stylus on the disk. With a simple push of the button, the disk began to turn and the faint sound of music could be heard. A quick turn of one of the dials made the music come out louder. However, he frowned when he did not hear lyrics come out but the music was fine. Did the records become damaged somehow?

"Hm..it seems like we'll have to sing for the full experience." Lexington mused with a faint grin that Gabriel did not notice.

He looked back at her with a frown, "The last time I tried to sing was a drunken experience within my first year on base. In other words, I'm pretty terrible."

"But you know the words at least."

"I do know the words. I had to learn them during my time in theater." Gabriel smiled in embarrassment, "As much I hated the singing, I was one of the top dancers in my group so I had one of the lead roles."

He felt a tug on one of his legs who happened to come from Unicorn. Looking down at the small carrier, Gabriel noticed she was giving him the innocent child act once again. "Can you sing it, Papa? I never heard you sing."

"_Unicorn...why are you putting me in these bad situations?" _Gabriel wondered to himself but he agreed to it with a simple nod. Ever since he revealed his true name and opened up a bit more on his past, it seemed like everyone wanted to pry more of it out of him. Then again, it was a two way street since he wanted to know these women more in return.

Reaching towards the stylus, Gabriel moved it a bit so that the music began from the beginning. The sounds of an orchestra began to play with waves of nostalgia slamming into his heart. Memories of a previous life before the war where there wasn't the threat of a hostile force wanting to exterminate humanity for some ludicrous goal. Where nations mostly kept to themselves and life seemed to flourish without restraint. Although times were much better than how they were at the beginning of the war…

It may never return to where it once was.

Walking on her lonesome was the ever cheerful Hornet. She had heard from Baltimore that two of their fellows would be swapping with her sister and Cleveland. A strange occurrence since Enterprise was better off here and it should have been Hornet who was transferred. Then again, Enterprise was very famous so maybe Hornet just avoided a bullet.

"_Huh, to think that I am the one staying here while my sis gets to go defend a fortress. I hope Gabe isn't playing favorites since sis is way stronger than me." _Hornet looked towards the sky as she thought to herself. A grin revealed itself as she already was starting to nickname the Admiral when everyone still referred to him by rank. It was a nice nickname, so to speak. Maybe everyone was still getting used to the idea of calling him by his real name.

Hornet's attention soon turned towards the sound of music and some voices. She had forgotten what she came to town for and now her curiosity was rising. Hood wasn't having one of her waltz classes again, was she? The only time she did that was days in advance for the ball and Gabriel certainly didn't need help. He was a complete natural on the floor with Shoukaku back then. Too bad she didn't have a chance to dance with him since the Sakura carrier had dragged him off to do whatever. What did they do?

"W-wha? No, nono. That's a silly thought," Hornet shook her head at how ridiculous that was. Although, it did make her wonder what it would feel like to dance with the man. She did show him her formal dress that one time.

Shaking off the thoughts once more, Hornet proceeded towards the sound of music and saw the doors were unlocked. Not wanting to disturb who was performing, Hornet pushed one of the doors enough to show a sliver of the inside. With an opening, Hornet peeked to see Lexington and Gabriel doing some weird movement with their feet. Add that with the clacking noise and it only left the carrier more curious than before.

She saw Unicorn off to the side staring in awe of the two adults dancing to some tune. Hornet would have assumed it was a date if the light carrier had not been here. After all, there was a whole agreement that went around the base to share the man equally. No doubt every sailor would be envious of Gabriel for such a situation.

"Good morning to you~" Hornet heard the duo say in a tuneful manner. Her grin returned before she opened the door all the way.

"Hey! Looks like you two are enjoying yourselves." the carrier smiled brightly as everyone in the room focused on her.

Gabriel was the first to stop midstep with a bright blush on his face, "Hornet!? What brings you here?"

"Just walking around the base until I heard some music. You two are pretty good together."

"Thank you for the compliment, Hornet. I should go find Saratoga. Thank you for the experience, Admiral." Lexington replied, giving her quick goodbye before leaving the area quickly.

Once Lexington was fully out of the picture, Hornet chuckled while Gabriel gave her a small glare, "I thought one of my sisters would suit your fancy but I am completely wrong."

"It wasn't anything romantic." Gabriel answered back with his hands up, "I just wanted to dance on my lonesome but Lexington and Unicorn were here before me. I was just showing a little of what I can do."

"You were really good, Papa. Can you teach me?" Unicorn said, hope sparking in her eyes along with her tightly gripping U-chan. The small creature wiggling its little limbs in desperation to escape from the vice grip.

"Yeah, I can teach you what I know after I do my daily tasks." Gabrielle agreed, patting the light carrier on the head, "You better run along back to Illustrious before she begins to worry again."

When Unicorn had left back to the dorms, Gabriel went back towards the record player. He removed the stylus and took out the disk before going to another one. Hornet raised a brow, "You aren't going to head home, Gabe?"

"Gabe?" he chuckled at that name, "I haven't heard that nickname since I was a kid."

"Ah, well, it's easier to say," the Eagle carrier replied with a tilt of her stetson. "I'm sure the other girls will start to call you that once they come around to it."

"The Eagle Union girls will. I'm not so sure about the others."

Replacing the previous record, Gabrielle returned the stylus back on top as the sound of an orchestra filled the room. Unlike the previous one, it was much slower in rhythm and more like ballroom music.

Gabrielle looked to Hornet before offering his hand, "Would you care to join me."

Hornet recoiled in shock with her cheeks lighting a faint hue, "W-wha?! You're not hitting on me are you?"

"What?" Gabrielle gave her a look of confusion, "No, I just want to sharpen up my skills for the banquet."

"Oh...I forgot that was coming up within the next couple of weeks."

She took his hand as he put his other arm around her back. Gabrielle put her in a bit close but kept a few inches between them or someone was going to think it was something else. He took a step forward while the carrier took a step back. If it weren't for the fact neither of them wore any formal attire, this would have looked a bit cute to watch.

"Do you happen to know anything about Reno or Intrepid?" Gabrielle asked out of a sudden.

Hornet shrugged as the duo continued to go around the dance floor without any observers, "Not really. All I know is Intrepid is one of Essex's sisters and that's about it. I think Reno is one of Atlanta's little sisters."

"So I'm expecting Reno to be a little on the short side?" he mused with a chuckle

That got the carrier to grin again, "I wouldn't doubt it. Maybe Intrepid is like her sister in wanting to be as cool as my sis"

"To be fair, Enterprise is basically a legendary figure."

"Yeah." Hornet nodded before one of her earlier thoughts came back to her, "Hey, so why are you sending Enty and Cleve out. Wouldn't they be better sticking around here if the Sirens ever return?"

"It was a request," Gabrielle answered simply, twirling the woman once before resuming their waltz. "Some commander at the fortress wanted a temporary transfer for morale purposes. I'm sure we'll be fine. I still got you and some of the other carriers for air coverage."

He noticed the carrier's grin had reversed in a moment, "I'm not as good as my sister. She took on the entire Sakura fleet for some time while me and Yorktown were under the waters early in the war."

"That doesn't mean you're worth any less. Didn't your ship take multiple torpedos and hundreds of shells but still wouldn't sink?"

Hornet shifted her eyes away from the man, "Most of those torps were duds."

"You still did great at what you were capable of." Gabrielle retorted with a slight frown working its way on his face. "You saved my life just the other day. I'm not going to forget an action like that."

Hornet's demeanor seemed to warm a bit, "Does that mean I get free dinner?"

Gabrielle chuckled under his breath, "Do you even have to ask?"

Hornet's grin came back to life once more before it scrunched up for a moment. Gabrielle felt his food on top of hers before he gave an apologetic look, "Whoops, sorry."

"You owe me for that."

"Let me guess, dinner?"

* * *

Gabriel gave a yawn as he trudged his way back home, a happy belly making him a lot sleepier than normal. As much as he wouldn't mind cooking up a good dinner, still nowhere as good as KGV's, Oklahoma had made meatloaf for tonight's special at the canteen which he was not going to pass up. Pair that with a good beer and the Admiral was in good spirits but also stuffed as hell.

When he did get home, Gabriel was a bit surprised that Eugen was nowhere. Although, she often liked to stay and chat over some beers so she would come home in a bit. On the other hand, he found a sleeping Unicorn under the covers.

"I'm going to hear it from Illustrious" he faintly chuckled while hanging up his coat and hat. Swiftly, Gabriel changed out of his clothes and into some nightwear before going over his mail once more.

Nothing new had come in. A shame to be sure, but considering there weren't any conflicts at the very moment, a welcome one. Looking down at his revolver, Gabriel noted a faint light emanating from one of the insignias.

"I wonder if I will ever understand how to use this thing properly." Gabriel sighed, removing the holster and placing it on the nightstand. So much mystery to such a simple weapon but the insignias meant something, right?

Those thoughts he could save for his dreams. Dreams he quickly fell to once his head hit the pillow.

* * *

**Hey guys, another chapter is up and there has been a whole flow of stuff on Azur Lane. From Fallen Wings being permanently added, I just need Carolina, to Crimson Echoes having a revamped rerun. So, I do want to preface that I don't plan to have too many new characters show up since the cast keeps getting larger and larger.**

**But we are another piece down and closer towards the end of the story. Thank you all for the support as it helps me continue this large work of mine. **

**Stay tuned for next chapter**


	26. Chapter 26

Warm sunlight poured into Gabriel's office as the officer was busy with another large set of paperwork. The past couple of days had gone by quickly and his trip to England was fast approaching. No doubt Queen Elizabeth would be delighted to return home for a short time but that did leave the question on who would be in charge here? Enterprise and Cleveland were at the fortress by now so that did leave things a bit uncertain.

He could leave someone like Washington in charge or possibly North Carolina but those two had some weird quirks. Bismark was a possible contender but being the figurehead for the Ironblood must be keeping her busy. The same could be said for someone like Nagato or even...wait. Mikasa didn't have any mandatory duties as of right now, did she?

Gabriel pondered on the old battleship's position in the Sakura. She used to be in Nagato's position at one point but her outdated design led to her resignation. He never found her upset about that moment but instead, she was more than delighted. Either it was old age or finally being free of duties that she tried to act youthful.

"I'll have to talk to Mikasa about the matter. In the meantime, I better knock this paperwork out before the new girls come in." He mumbled. Scratching markings into the beast in front of him, taunting him with its numerical advantage. No matter how many of them fell, it always seemed they multiplied like rabbits.

"Admiral, I'm coming in." He heard from the door. On cue, the door swung open with Pamiat holding a large stack of papers. The stack was tall enough to hide her face with the top of her hat barely keeping reconnaissance.

"Do you need a little hand with that?" Gabriel asked as the light cruiser came towards him slowly. Due to her lack of sight, she carefully took each step as if she might bump into something.

"I am fine. Here you go." She set the stack down on his desk. Pamiat gave a triumphant smug until an audible crack echoed in the room. The woman's smug vanished in an instant as she hunched over with one of her hands traveling to her back. "OW! Not again!"

Gabriel put down his pen before rising to help the shipgirl. Judging by the way she hunched over and where one of her hands tried to nurse her back, the answer was clear. She hurt her back or it was her ship's old age finally acting up. "When was the last time you saw a chiropractor?"

"What's a chiropractor?"

He gave her half lidded eyes and a frown, "Lay down on the couch. I'll call Vestal over."

Pamiat didn't say anything in return while proceeding to her temporary rest. In the meantime, Gabriel gave a quick call for the repair boat to come to his office. The only problem was…

"What do you mean you have the day off?" He questioned before grumbling a little. "Alright, what do I need to do? I can't have a granny boat breaking her back."

"I heard that!" The light cruiser complained from the couch

Gabriel glanced back at the crippled woman before his answer came swiftly, "Admiral, I suggest you massage the area and try to watch how much force you implement. Do this until she can move without feeling the pain and I'll set up an appointment with her tomorrow."

He put down the phone after hearing what must be done. A light blush formed onto his cheeks with the thought of giving a woman a massage. Gabriel had never even participated in having a massage from any of the girls. He was offered at one point by some of the Sakura girls during a stressful month but he declined out of professionalism. Now he had to give a massage to a shipgirl.

Taking a deep breath and controlling his nerves, Gabriel turned to Pamiat. "Alright, it looks like I'm dealing with the problem myself."

"Treating a lady to a massage eh? Wait till Chapayev hears about this~" Despite the crippled hull, Pamiat still had her smirk.

"I'm only doing this because Vestal is out of the office."

In the hallway outside of the office walked two shipgirls that had traveled far to arrive on the base. One of them being known as Intrepid thanks to her signature cape that only the Essex-class sisters wore. The other would be assumed to be Reno although when compared to siblings, she was entirely different with her very short platinum hair. It would be easy to mistake Reno for another class of ship due to her contrast.

"Ah~, we're finally here." Reno began with her stretching her arms, the muscles needing to be woken up after a long trip. "I didn't think Bremerton would be so kind as to let me go in her place."

"Well, you've been begging Commander Adams to let you transfer and I think Bremerton was a bit annoyed by your daily whining," Intrepid replied with a side glance towards the light cruiser.

"I was not whining!"

"Sure you weren't. I fondly remember you mumbling in your sleep about the whole thing."

Reno's cheeks expanded with her lips pursed which only made Intrepid grin, "Do you know how long I've been waiting for a moment like this? I finally can meet the Admiral after everything my older sis has told me."

"Are you sure you haven't been listening to the radio all day and read too many comics to distort your view of him?" Intrepid questioned with a shake of her head. "He's one of the few officers that repelled the Sirens temporarily. He may not be as great as they say he is."

Before Reno could retort on that thought, both of them heard noises coming from the office door. An audible crack echoed once more followed up by a muffled yell. Intrepid narrowed her eyes and was ready to bust the door open until, "Mm~, could you do that again but a little lower?"

"Lower?" a male's voice asked.

Intrepid shot a glance towards Reno before returning to listening in on whoever was inside, "Yes, a little more force down there would make me feel really good right now."

Both shipgirls had their face blushing intensely with their imagination taking control of what was going on. Not wanting to hear anymore of this, Intrepid opened the door only to find Gabriel giving Pamiat a massage. He looked at them for a moment before it dawned on him they were the new arrivals.

"Oh, you two showed up." Gabriel commented, "I was just helping my secretary out after she hurt her back." He stood up before offering his hand, "Welcome to the base. My name is Admiral Gabriel Harper."

"USS Intrepid, sir." Intrepid gave a quick salute before shaking the offered hand. Her eyes glanced at her compatriot but only found her with giant stars replacing her sight. Reno was also visibly shaking which only made the Admiral worried.

Pamiat beat him to the question, "Is she normally like this?"

"Not really...this is a first."

Gabriel would suddenly find his hand grabbed suddenly and shook violently. For a moment, he swore he felt his whole body spasm out of his control like a doll being tossed around. From an outsider's perspective, it would remind one of a cartoon. Pamiat couldn't help but snicker at the misfortune of the officer.

"I'm so excited!" Reno beamed a blinding aura. "I get to meet the hero I have heard so much about!"

Gabriel looked towards Intrepid with a raised brow which the carrier answered, "Reno listens to the radio a lot. I don't know if you've been paying attention to the civilian broadcasts but she thinks you're a superhero or something, sir."

"I see...I guess I can be considered one but I really don't think I should get all that much credit. Most of the fleet here has done all the heavy lifting while I am just the brains of the operations." Gabriel turned to Reno with a small smile, "Tell me Reno, anything I should know about you compared to your sisters?"

At least it got the light cruiser to stop for a moment, "Oh, I am really good at shooting down aircraft like my big sisters. I mainly stick close to carriers like Intrepid so they have an easier time launching their fighters."

"No, he means anything about you personally, comrade." Pamiat reiterated with a smug glance. "Considering those torpedo bulges yours, you might be his favorite."

Gabriel blushed heavily in response but he had to admit that Pamiat wasn't wrong on her quick observation. Thankfully he could just focus on something else instead of Reno's large assets, "Pamiat, please. I'm not that much of a pervert."

The sun would have a run for its money with how much light was pouring out of the shipgirl, "My hero wants to know...about me? Is this a dream?"

"No, Reno. The Admiral is literally just asking you simple questions." Intrepid retorted. "Sorry about her, sir. She'll come around but she's a bit busy being star struck. Is there anything we can do for you in the meantime?"

He shrugged, "Well, considering the only combat we faced was a large mechanical serpent about a week ago, there hasn't been too much. Pamiat?"

"Nope, nothing mandatory has been scheduled."

"Very good." Gabriel gave a nod, "Reno, Intrepid, you two are dismissed."

Reno snapped out of her daydreaming and followed with a salute just as Intrepid gave hers before the duo left the office. Gabriel gave a groan of annoyance once he looked back at the piles of paper on his desk. It was going to take a while unless half of those papers were long-winded essays to make one simple point.

"Pamiat," he said cracking his knuckles, "Let's knock this out so we have the rest of the day off."

"Da, comrade."

The sound of someone knocking on the office door drew Gabriel's attention, "Come in."

The door opened with Tirpitz walking in. Pamiat furrowed her brows a bit but spoke no evil, instead, walking past the battleship. Gabriel normally would have asked what that was about but history had taught him the Ironblood and Northern Parliament once had a bloody stalemate. A stalemate that cost the Ironblood thousands of lives and losing all gained ground. At the same time, the Northern Parliament lost some of its naval forces on top of countless numbers of casualties. That could explain the icy tension between the two factions.

"Tirpitz." Gabriel sat down at his desk and motioned for the battleship to sit across from him

"The Northerners have treated you well so far?" Tirpitz asked, taking the offer and settling in the comfy chair

He gave a nod, "So far. Pamiat is a bit of an eccentric type for such an old boat and Rossiya is pretty strict. Chapayev is...something."

A brow rose to meet the results, "How so?"

"She reminds me of Eugen but I don't think I have a complete picture of what she is nor any of them. I've spent only a day with each of them."

Tirpitz hummed in acknowledgment, "You will be heading to England tomorrow, ja?"

"That is the plan." Gabriel confirmed as he looked towards some leftover sheets of paper on the desk. "Belfast is already planning the security measures."

"Good, she is very capable." Tirpitz let her breath release that was bound tightly, "For as much as we Ironbloods mock the many light cruisers the Royal Navy has, they prove themselves quite well."

"They are something." A flick of the wrist slew the dotted line, "I trust they will keep me safe if the Sirens decide to show up again."

"Possibly, but the Sirens like to use alternate methods of attack. They might try something else if they seek to destroy you." Tirpitz pondered on the possibilities. The Sirens could do almost anything with their advanced technology and it showed with the Ironblood.

The tip of the pen stopped mid-stroke, "Like what? More corrupted versions of those we know? Some sort of futuristic soldiers brainwashed to do their bidding? Drag a commander from another timeline?"

Tirpitz didn't respond but her eyes spoke for her. Gabriel grimaced at her piercing gaze and considered that all three could be possible. Days ago, he almost got killed by an oversized rigging from the future but Ash saved him at that time. What would happen if someone else came from the future to murder him?

"Take great caution, Admiral. We have no intelligence on what the Sirens plan next nor do they know what we are planning either." Tirpitz changed her tone right away, "But, there is another matter I want to discuss with you.

"What is that?" Gabriel asked, curiosity brimming in the moment.

Tirpitz took off her naval cap and answered, "We are developing the next generation of prototype ships to fight the Sirens. Hopefully, you'll get to meet them when you travel to my homeland."

"I don't think I've ever been there." Gabriel indeed had never gone to the Ironblood's homeland. He had heard of some of its history being the source of their pride. A history that often got them in conflicts with some of its neighbors, including the Iris Orthodoxy. "I would love to visit."

A smile graced the battleship's face before she stood up, "I'll inform you once I make those preparations." With that, she donned her hat and left the room.

"I look forward to it." The stroke resumed and another sheet laid amongst its compatriots. Afterward, the Admiral got up and left the office to punch out for the day.

* * *

_Gabriel was back at the two gravestones from his previous vision but something felt amiss. The stone that held the empty grave was overshadowed by a dark aura while the other contrasted with bright light. The grass sided amongst the darkness turned lavender and spiked liked lances charging into enemy formations. The grass on the light turned orange and flared in revolt with darkness slowly approaching the battle lines. _

"_Harper…." A ghastly whisper rose from the darkness followed by a silhouette coming from the shadows. The shape of a man formed with the darkness slowly unraveling itself as the being got closer._

"_Who are you?" Gabriel reached for his weapon but did not feel it on his hip. _

_The man broke from the shadows only to greet Gabriel but hiding himself under a cloak. His face was covered in pitch black hollowness and all he could hear was the shallow breathing. The man suddenly raised one of his hidden arms with a gun firmly held in a gloved hand. Gabriel's instincts told him to move but his legs would not respond. It felt like hands held his legs in place with his executioner taking aim right at him._

_The breathing raised in pitch before the concussive sound of the gun rang out._

* * *

Gabriel woke to spot the ceiling towering over him and the rapid breathing of his own. The sweat of his brow was one of the first things he felt beside his nerves beginning to calm. Eugen was not sleeping beside him this time around due to some night time commissions as the officer looked on in the darkened room. Thin strips of light squeezed through the windows but did not enlighten the room by much.

What was that dream? It was just as confusing as the last one but more importantly, who was that person that called his name? His last name for that manner. He needed to clear his head before he let these dreams get to him.

"A little fresh air is in order." Gabriel muttered to himself. He rose from his bed and proceeded to get dressed into something casual but comfortable. Leaving his personal home to feel the cool night brush over his skin. Nights like these were amazing to stroll around and the stars littering the sky above him were dazzling.

Gabriel began to walk down one of the dirt paths with his mind focusing back on the dream. One side of grass became fiery and alive while the other became deathly sharp. It was like one of those stories Enterprise talked about in terms of mental cubes? She described it like hollow darkness trying to eat at her but she prevailed against it. Maybe Ash would have better insight as to what Gabriel's dream could be.

"Still doesn't explain who was in that dream. Hope that it's some sort of Siren trick," Gabriel uttered under his breath while rubbing his temples. He really hoped this was just his brain overreacting to being exposed to Wisdom Cube energy for the past month. If that was the case, he was going to need a psychiatrist to be sure he wasn't going insane.

A silhouette coming into view made him lose sight of his thoughts. Who else would be out tonight? The only ones who should be awake were the commission teams. Unless there was one of the girls who also had trouble sleeping for any number of reasons. Wanting to find out who that might be, Gabriel got closer.

With the moon and starlight, he was able to make out Intrepid's purple twin tails from several meters away. She was sitting upon the drowsy grass away from the dirt path and with her head looking upwards.

"Intrepid?" Gabrielle called out

The carrier looked his way suddenly and jerked as if she was caught red-handed. She tried to rise to address Gabriel directly but her sudden movements made her trip over herself and eat a face full of dirt. After a couple of moments of grumbling, she stood up and saluted.

"S-Sir?! I wasn't expecting you out this late," Her eyes looked away momentarily with her other fist closing tightly.

Gabriel waved off the salute and held his hands behind his back like officers of an old era. "Couldn't sleep, what about you?"

Intrepid visibly relaxed with her fist loosening and her shoulders falling from its stiff posture. "Me? I'm just burning the midnight oil by stargazing."

"Stargazing?"

"Yes sir, it's a habit I've had." The carrier looked back at the sparkling masses of gas with her lips curving upward, "It's really peaceful. Keeps my mind at ease when something's bothering me."

"Is it? Do you mind if I join you? I have a lot on my mind as of late," Gabriel mentioned while also gazing at the lights among the sky.

"You don't have to ask me, sir. I appreciate someone joining me since none of the other girls can stay awake. Not even Reno."

The Admiral gave a curt nod before taking a seat on the grass with Intrepid following suit. The cool grass beneath was refreshing and the lack of noise made it more enjoyable.

"You know, there are billions of stars out there. We can only see so many of them what we are seeing is technically light from thousands, possibly millions, of years ago." Intrepid stated, pointing towards a group of stars, "There are constellations like Orion that can be viewed in different parts of the world."

That information was very insightful and it reminded Gabriel of a school teacher lecturing, "You know a lot more than I ever will. What got you so interested in astronomy in the first place?"

The carrier's lips tightened a bit and she forcefully put a smile on, "Well, I am the unluckiest Essex-Class carrier. I was sent to the dry dock for repairs pretty often."

"So you spent a lot of time with nothing to do while your ship was being repaired?" Gabriel guessed based on the current knowledge.

Intrepid nodded, turning towards the stars once more. "Yes sir, with so much time-wasting away for repairs, I began to stay up late out of boredom. From boredom, I began to get curious about stars and stuff. After that, I asked anyone around the dry dock about what they knew and before you know it, I was reading books about the stuff."

"At least you found your passion despite how tedious it must be to get repairs," Gabriel replied

"I also carried a space shuttle."

Gabriel's eyes widened with his body going stiff for a moment, "Wait, you carried a space shuttle once?"

Intrepid nodded vigorously, a more natural grin on her face. "Oh yeah, I carried one. My sisters can tease me about being nicknamed 'Decrepit' but I have the last laugh. But that's enough about me, what's been keeping you up?"

Gabriel thought back on his dream but wondered if he should even tell his subordinates about it. He hardly understood what it could mean, what use would it be to tell them? At best, it was an omen of some sort. At worst, it was just a random dream going through his head. It was probably best to not tell anyone until he thought about it more. "I guess I'm looking forward to seeing Great Britain for myself."

Intrepid raised a brow, "You're leaving tomorrow? How long will you be gone, sir?"

"A week at most. It was Sheffield's idea, but with the recent attacks, I'm basically having a massive escort at all times." Gabriel wondered about what he would do in another country. Queen Elizabeth would probably have a long list of activities for him to participate in, most of that work thanks to the maids. Speaking of which, could it be that Sheffield suggested visiting England of her own volition or by Elizabeth's order? There was still that agreement that he was tossed into.

"Hm, sounds fun. Do you need any carrier support?"

"I'll be fine. I'll have a considerable amount of Royal Navy ships escorting me already. Who knows if I get to meet some new ones." Gabriel then remembered something, "Speaking of which, Intrepid, you and Reno were keeping watch over the fortress. Who else was there?"

Intrepid answered, "Other than me and Reno, there is Bremerton. She's Baltimore's younger sister and self-described counselor among us. There's Cooper, our destroyer and cat enthusiast. Marblehead covers our cruiser department but she's a bit odd to understand. Bluegill is our submarine and she's looking forward to seeing some sort of combat someday. Lastly, Casablanca is our light aircraft carrier and she's the calm one among the group."

"Sounds like an interesting unit," Gabriel commented.

"You have no idea. Bremerton is the glue keeping us pretty close to one another. I can't even imagine how we could work as a cohesive group without her."

A light smile appeared on Gabriel's face, "That might run through the family. I hope to meet them someday."

"Well, if Adams is willing to transfer them, you could meet them soon." Intrepid chuckled at a particular thought, "I don't think he'll make it without Bremerton. He's gotten a bit spoiled having a counselor around."

"You make it sound like you all give him a hard time." Gabriel looked at the carrier with a questionable look.

"We do. Reno talks his ear off, he complains about my late nights, and he's allergic to cats." Intrepid frowned, "He had a nasty reaction one time Cooper brought a cat in. As a result, he banned any cats at the fortress. It's a shame Cooper couldn't be here with us. I think she'll prefer your supervision over his."

Gabriel gave the idea a quick thought. Another destroyer on the base wouldn't be too much of a problem and it was a benefit to both parties. Adams wouldn't have to worry about cats on his base and Cooper could enjoy said pets without scrutiny. "I'll message him about it. I'm sure he won't say no to the offer."

Intrepid blinked before looking at the Admiral in disbelief, "I wasn't asking for you to do that, sir. I was just simply sa-."

"It's alright," Gabriel assured, "It wouldn't be good for Cooper to be there."

"Well...Thank you, sir." Intrepid muttered

Gabriel rose to his feet and stretched his arms out. The conversation and stargazing were beginning to get his body back into sleep mode. "I believe that stargazing helped me clear my mind. I look forward to the next time I can't sleep again."

A smile graced the Eagle Union carrier's lips, "No problem, glad it helped. Next time I'll show you more of the constellations and specific planets.

"You have a nice night, Intrepid."

"You too, sir."

Gabriel left towards his home with a better understanding of one of his new subordinates but not on what he dreamed of. Once he got back to sleep, he could think about what it all could mean once more. In the meantime, he should just enjoy the time he had on a beautiful night. Tomorrow was around the corner and that meant a long journey to England. There was only one small problem…

Gabriel couldn't fall asleep that night

* * *

The following morning was terrible for the Admiral. One of the Royal Maids had to fetch him from his home to only find him still asleep far longer than he should have. He had a small bump on his forehead thanks to his sleep-deprived trip when he was awoken. To top it all off, he almost fell back asleep during breakfast and in front of the women.

"Ugh, I can't wait to get underway. I could sleep all day," Gabriel grumbled as he sipped some coffee for some much-needed caffeine. No maid was going to tell him no when he had a bad morning.

"Bad night?" Inside his office was Ash, looking much more like her previous self than before. She looked just like Enterprise besides the different attitude she clearly displayed. Still, progress was progress.

"You could say that," Gabriel retorted, feeling a headache come and go. "Had a dream last night and I couldn't sleep. So, I stayed up as a result."

"What kind of dream?" Ash questioned, sitting down on the opposing chair. Her brows furrowed as if she was trying to read Gabriel's thoughts.

"An open grave, half of the ground was covered in fire and the other in some purple spikes. Some sort of omen?"

"It could be. Two opposing forces ready for conflict." Ash hummed while processing the information. "I'm coming with you."

"Pardon?" Gabriel replied back, a bit surprised by the declaration.

"I'm coming with you. I have a bad feeling about what your dream could possibly mean."

"What about Ember?"

"She'll come too. She has more experience dealing with our enemy than I do." Ash answered

Gabriel nodded, "Sounds good. It wouldn't hurt to have both of you keeping an eye out for any Sirens. As a matter of fact, you can detect a Siren even if they are disguising themselves?"

She pursed her lips and looked towards the floor with her arms crossed. It looked like she was contemplating an answer. "If they tried sending an expendable one. It's much harder to tell if one of their main cards is played."

"Like Tester?"

"Exactly."

"Let's hope for the best then." Gabriel turned to look outside his office window and look over the various shipgirls that passed by. If Ash's assessment of his dream was true, then the Sirens were preparing something outright.

He was hoping that she was wrong

* * *

**I am alive! Here is the upload for this story that I surprisingly got myself to finally write again. I hope you guys are all doing alright considering the virus going around. These new events have been fantastic and I'm looking forward to the new HMS event. Good luck on your rolls **

**Until then, stay tuned**


	27. Chapter 27

"So you know what to do, right?"

"Of course, Admiral. You have nothing to worry about."

"Saying that actually makes me a bit worried. Just make sure nobody enters my office without authorization."

"The port is in good hands. You should be going on your trip."

Gabriel attempted a smile but his lack of sleep made him look irritated. At least he can sleep on the way towards England. The trip along would take days alone to get there and days to get back. At best, the Admiral could see himself returning back to base within a couple of weeks, if he was lucky. But, at least he was going to leave the base in the very capable hands of Mikasa.

"Just be sure that nobody, and I mean nobody, is in this office without your supervision." Gabriel crossed his arms and looked towards the calendar. "With any luck, I'll be back within a couple of weeks. I prepared a checklist of daily tasks that must be done."

Mikasa, bless her old wisdom and naivety, just nodded along. "Good, I'll make the girls go through daily exercises so they are not bored. Sometimes I wonder if they secretly want the Sirens to reveal themselves just to have something to do."

"I would be lying if I said I wasn't thinking the same thing." With that said, Gabriel left the office and proceeded to the dock. The Royal Navy would be waiting for him there to begin their long journey, and so was sleep.

Once he did leave, Mikasa waited a few moments before going over the tasks. Besides commissions and exercises, there was some paperwork for the secretaries to work on and a few smaller matters. For a moment, Mikasa began to reminisce by the old days of leading the Sakura Empire during its blossoming years. The first Great War had shown the world that the small nation was not to be ignored but hubris still blinded most.

Enough of that, there were some chores to be done.

* * *

The sound of drills could be heard within the repair bay as many of the girls used them for constant maintenance of their rigging. Reno was one of them but she was not fixing her rigging, she was working on someone else's.

"Reno, you done yet? I want to be out there before the other carriers are even ready?" Intrepid questioned, glancing over her shoulder to be sure her friend was potentially done.

"Just about." Reno replied right back, "You should hopefully not crash into your rigging whenever you make a sudden move."

"Hopefully?"

"I can't stop your bad luck," Reno said in a light manner as she finished the routine maintenance her friend needed. "Do your best out there."

Intrepid gave a short wave before taking off out of port to join the other carriers in some exercises. In the meantime, Reno walked out of the maintenance bay and walked along the trail towards the lab. She wasn't looking for anything in particular but she could make herself useful by looking over some of the projects. If only her hero didn't have to leave so soon or she could have shown him her talent.

Reno raised her head towards the sky with an idea ready to pop out, "I know, I'll show him my collection once he gets back...whenever that is."

Once she had gotten to the lab, Reno began to search for something to put her effort into. There were various blueprints of gun models of every class of ship, ready to be put together once the required materials were ready. But that wasn't what caught the light cruiser's eye. Instead, she saw the suit stripped down over one of the tables with many notes scribbled on various chalkboards and papers. Instantly, Reno's eyes lit up like stars.

"Ah! It's like something out of the first issue of Iron Man!" Her smile suddenly turned upside down once she saw how stripped down it was. "Who would take it apart like this?"

"I did." A voice answered Reno's question from the direction of the door. The light cruiser turned to find Hipper standing in the doorway with a model floatplane in one hand. "Too many complicated parts for something to protect the Admiral."

"Where did you get this from? Did High Command create it for field testing? Are regular personnel going to be wearing similar suits like this one?!" Reno's questions fired off faster than the Ironblood could process. It made the MG34 look slow.

"Wha-? No, no one's going to recreate this. It came from the future, supposedly. The dummkopf thought he could go out in the oceans with this and he almost got killed. Just so he doesn't get that mentality, I stripped it down."

"Do you know how many people would pay to have this?! I would pay everything to have one for my collection."

"Huh? Collection?" Hipper furrowed her brows in disbelief although it wasn't Reno's behavior that was beginning to get on her nerves. It was something a bit larger than that. "Are you one of those types of people?"

"I read comics and listen to the radio after work." Reno then went into her signature pose with her armored gauntlets lighting up. "I built these myself...but they aren't weapons."

Hipper's brows rose, "Then why did you build them?"

"For the fun of it." Reno smiled before her eyes landed on the toy floatplane in Hipper's hands. "Oh? Are you a collector too?"

"Huh?" The heavy cruiser snorted, "What makes you think that I'm a collector?"

"That floatplane of yours. That's a limited model isn't it?"

"So what if it is? It's not like I enjoy building stuff."

Reno giggled as a result. In a couple of ways, Hipper acted a bit like Intrepid on a bad day. Although Intrepid was nowhere near the level of the heavy cruiser. But, there was one thing that got Reno curious.

"So...you're the flagship of your class?"

Hipper grumbled under her breath a moment but answered, "Yes, what of it?"

Reno continued, "And your sister is married to the Admiral? How did they meet?"

Hipper leaned against one of the tables with her arms folded over her chest. "You would probably have to ask Eugen that, but, I remember they met on the battlefield."

"Oh...I forgot that you were once our enemy."

"At that time, yes. Long story short, he was an unknown officer at the time but was making a name for himself. If we weren't busy dealing with the Royal Navy, Eugen was making it her own mission to find out who this commander was. We atte-" Hipper explained but the door being opened drew her attention away. Eugen was standing in the doorway with her usual smug expression although her eyes landed on Reno momentarily.

"Is my flat sister giving my life story?" Eugen asked, lips curling upward when Hipper visibly glared at her sister ship. "Let me explain it like this…"

* * *

_Eugen stared down at the holographic display with her chin resting on top of her hand. The display showed multiple profiles of some anonymous-looking officers from Azur Lane with a single one being ruled out. All their details were blacked out with ink and despite the superior Siren technology, nothing was being revealed._

"_Eugen, it's late." a cup of coffee was placed in front of the heavy cruiser. The voice belonged to the ever so astute and calm Z2. The destroyer had gone through many of Eugen's shenanigans in the various operations they partook in._

_True to her word, Eugen rubbed her eyes as sleep tried to force them shut. "I can't sleep when this one commander has been giving our allies quite a bit of trouble. Any word from Z23?"_

_Z2 shook her head, "Not since her absence. Tirpitz has gone silent as well. Her last communication was weeks ago and calls have been made but she has not answered."_

"_You don't suppose she simply is too shy to talk?" Sleep would not stop the heavy cruiser from giving a coy look._

"_I'm afraid not. Our submarines have searched all over her projected path but nothing has come up. Has Bismark said anything?"_

"_Bismark has not said much...That is concerning." Eugen looked back at the display with her eyes shutting for just a moment to think. "In the very worst-case scenario, those that are unaccounted for have either perished or fallen to enemy hands."_

_Z2's lips pressed together with a small grunting sound muffled by them. "Are you saying that they were captured? If that is the case…"_

"_I believe this commander is our suspect. While we hunted as a pack, he has hunted our stragglers. Clever…" Eugen smiled at the thought, bringing the cup and letting the warm liquid flow down her throat._

"_Then we should plan an ambush," Z2 stated but was blindsided when the heavy cruiser chuckled under her breath. "What is it?"_

"_There is hardly any bait left. Tell Hipper to be ready within the week. I'll personally lead this next sortie. In the meantime, I have a commander to uncover." _

_Z2 did not say a word as she departed. Eugen continued to look at the blue lights on top of the table with her eyes occasionally shutting for moments. "Hm~, if it is you, Commander, our little game has been fun. The final moves will be made and I hope you are ready."_

* * *

"...The next sortie I took part in was the last until I was set upon by the Royal Navy. Apparently, they had broken our codes and surprised us in the open ocean. If it weren't for the Admiral's hospitality, I and my sister would have been laying at the bottom of the sea." Eugen finished. She looked towards Reno to gauge her reaction, which was amusing, to say the least.

Reno had stars in her eyes as if she was being told a fantasy story. "It's like one of those enemies becoming lovers' stories. You two kept trying to outsmart the other and it led to you joining Azur Lane."

Hipper snorted, "If being threatened to have our lives ended counts as 'joining.'"

"Come now, Hipper, I don't recall you ever hating being part of the port since me and the Admiral got more 'antiquated' over the years." Eugen mused

"It's not that I wanted to be a part of this port anyway! I am simply doing what must be done so we can end this damn war!"

Reno could only stare as the two sisters had their little feud in full display. Atlanta and her other sisters were never like this as far as she knew. Were there others who had relationships like this with their siblings or was this a special case?

"_This must be one peculiar family…" _Reno could only think of those words as she watched in silence.

* * *

The sounds of several rounds firing out of their barrels broke through the calm sea breeze. The munitions swirling towards their target before smashing themselves into the hardened defenses. Thousands of seconds passed and the defenses gave way for the shell to breach to the interior. A detonation ensued a millisecond later with the target erupted into fragments of its former self.

"Bravo! An excellent shot as always, Cesare." Littorio's voice spoke after the firing had stopped. "You could possibly outmatch my accuracy one day."

Cesare had come down to the beach to practice her aim against a variety of targets; some smaller and larger. With the Admiral gone on his two-week vacation to England, it was only fair that Cesare kept herself in shape. Although, she preferred if Littorio hadn't come along and kept her nose in someone else's business.

"Unlike you, Littorio, I have dealt with formidable opponents than you ever will," Cesare glared at her fellow battleship.

Naturally, Littorio waved it off with her rose. "No need for such hostility, my friend. I know you have much more experience in combat than I do but I was made for the current war. It was your record that my creation could improve upon."

"Hmph, yet I hardly see you succeed against others of your caliber. That battleship, Jean Bart, seemed to have put you in your place." Cesare fired off a couple more rounds, aiming for the farthest ones out at sea.

"Ah yes, that brute of a woman." Littorio giggled but her demeanor shrunk for just a moment. "I underestimated her power for an incomplete ship. But, I have learned much from her and I will show the Admiral the true might of Littorio."

Cesare rolled her eyes at the pompous display and began to notice someone else was on the beach as well. Someone walking towards them with a smile that was too good to be true. That one being Chapayev.

"Privet, Italia, and Novorossiysk. A beautiful afternoon, is it not?" the Northern light cruiser said amusingly towards the two battleships.

For this one time, both Sardegna women flinched at the names uttered by Chapayev. Those names having some events neither were too fond of. More so for Cesare, that name bringing up some bad memories she would otherwise forget.

"It's Cesare for you. That name you just uttered has no meaning to me."

Chapayev put a hand to her mouth, "Oh my, forgive me. I only remember you two based on my construction year. I understand how much more significance comes out of your first name."

Littorio grinned once more, "What brings you to join Cesare's fantastic display of firepower, Northerner?"

"I too wish to test my armaments alongside you, if you do not mind. The Admiral would be happy if we interacted with the others." Chapayev summoned her rigging in an instant upon her statement.

The battleships looked on Chapayev's rigging that seemed similar to the Ironbloods'. It looked one part behemoth and one part like a horse with the chain being firmly secured around its mouth. The lower half of the rigging provided the light cruiser with a comfortable spot to sit as she awaited a comment.

Littorio was the first to speak. "Marvelous, my Northern friend. Here I thought the Ironbloods were the only ones with semi-sentient rigging. Where did you get such a gift?"

"Thank you for the compliment but I cannot say. Those are secrets that only Soyuz knows about." Chapayev then gestured towards the targets at sea, "May I?"

Cesare gave a reluctant nod of approval. The turrets located on the rigging began firing at an alarming rate that could almost rival destroyers. Each target was pelted under an intense barrage but each shell fired seemed to do minimal damage. That was until Chapayev's aura glowed a crimson red and her rigging suddenly fired off balls of fire. Each one hitting a target and igniting them in a scarlet fire.

"Hm~, that felt nice. The Admiral would be well pleased if he was still here." Chapayev commented on her handiwork.

"_Is it your guns he would be pleased by or something else?" _Cesare could only wonder as she noted how unlike her comrades, Chapayev exposed more skin.

"Most certainly, but I will tell you this, my Northern friend, the Admiral will be falling for me. It is not Littorio to fall for a man, but for a man to fall for Littorio." Littorio twirled her rose before throwing it into the wind dramatically.

"I see. I would not mind so long as he can be shared." The light cruiser seemed to grip the chain holding her beast much more tightly. "I wouldn't mind...at all~. So long as he is bonded to us all." Her cheeks seemed to have a pink hue but she didn't notice. Without a word, Chapayev gave a bow and walked away.

"I don't like her, Cesare." Littorio frowned once Chapayev was out of earshot. "She has something about her that feels off."

Cesare, for once, nodded in agreement. "Out of all of them, she is the odd one. If she is after the Admiral's heart, he needs to know what she is hiding."

"So you do know them?" Littorio raised a brow, the grin returning

"In another life. When our nation agreed to an armistice with the enemy, you and I were stuck in Malta for some time. Unlike you, I was sent to their nation and they changed my name." Cesare narrowed her eyes at one of the targets, imagining it being one of the Parliament girls. "For the most part, they were good people. But, I hate the cold and I do not like their leadership."

Littorio had a look of sympathy for once, "That was another life. This time, it will not be the case. Come now, these targets won't shoot themselves."

* * *

On the other side of the island base, Takao had been restless as of late. It was not the fact that Gabriel would be gone for two weeks with the Royal Navy that bothered her, it was something much worse. A problem so bad that some might say it is comical yet understandable. The problem that troubled her so much was...Takao didn't know much about being a wife.

Her life being so dedicated to swordsmanship left no room to learn some necessary skills if such a time came around. In Takao's mind, she never thought she would be with someone during the beginning of the war. All she thought about, at that time, was keeping her sisters safe and wiping the enemy out. Now, fate was catching up and although she wasn't married yet, it wouldn't be that long until that day came. Even if Gabriel gave her the decision, there seemed to be a twenty-ton weight on making such a life-altering choice.

"Uh...Takao-san, are you alright?" With her mind so preoccupied with the clear problem in front of her, the heavy cruiser had forgotten that Shoukaku was sitting opposite her. Both of them resting after a heavy war game exercise.

"No...I am not. Shoukaku, please answer this question for me." Takao answered with her eyes glued to the floor so the carrier wouldn't see her shame. "What should be expected of a wife?"

That single question had the effectiveness of a full salvo since Shoukaku was taken aback by the lack of knowledge the Sakura swordsman had. "You don't know?"

Takao's eyes shifted from side to side, making sure no one else was in the room. Gods, if Atago learned about this, she would never stop teasing Takao about it. "Well...I have a basic understanding but I lack the technique."

"Ah. All you need is some teaching and training." Shoukaku clapped her hands together with a confident nod. "I will keep your secret and train you as well."

Takao blushed in embarrassment. How shameful it must be to not have any skills in being a proper wife when marriage could be within the year. If the Royal Navy could get one of their to be engaged to the Admiral, so would the Sakura Empire. It wouldn't be surprising that this two-week vacation was secretly a wedding in disguise. Even so, that only meant Takao had to rise to the occasion.

"Shoukaku-chan," Takao began once a thought came to her mind. "Why hasn't the Admiral given you a ring? Didn't you two….?"

The carrier shushed her heavy cruiser ally before taking a few glances around. Once she was content with being relatively private, she answered. "I have not pressed him. He must have a lot of things on his mind as of late but I would not mind if he also gave me a ring. It would be a great honor that Akagi-senpai couldn't ignore."

"_What does this have to do with Akagi?" _Takao wondered about Shoukaku's reason. Hopefully, the Sakura carrier wasn't trying to be with the Admiral just to spite Akagi or it wouldn't be a very good relationship.

With that said, Shoukaku smiled warmly. "If you have no further plans, let's begin right away. We have only two weeks to make you the most ideal bride possible."

Fire flooded Takao once more but her damage control was on point this time around, "H-Hai."

The two departed in the direction of Gabriel's personal home. Naturally, Takao was against the idea of practicing within someone else's private home but a little encouragement from Shoukaku pushed her along. How could she be a proper wife if she could not be in a husband's home?

But one thing was for certain, especially when Shokaku was having Takao practice her cooking. "Takao-chan, you should know how to greet the Admiral when he comes back."

Was there such a specific way of greeting? Takao raised a brow at the suggestion, "I know how to greet him."

Shoukaku shook her head, "No, it's something only couples should do. Especially when he has a very stressful day, you should greet him like this; 'Teito-sama, would you like dinner, a bath, or..maybe..me?'"

If the Sakura woman was expecting a reaction out of the heavy cruiser, she was met with a bop to the head, "Have you no shame?!"

* * *

The breeze flowed over the calm grass overlooking the sea. The waves threw themselves into the impenetrable defenses until they were repelled, only to throw themselves again and again. The tree perched firmly served as a shield for those who sought comfort. Under the protection was Gascogne, who was observing the ocean waves with indifference. The sound of footsteps drew her attention.

"I was not expecting you to be here." The footsteps belonged to Jean Bart, the Vichya Battleship seeking some time away from the port.

"Observation of ocean activity near the port has produced surprising results. Conclusion, Siren activity is nonexistent as of now." Gascogne answered, turning her gaze back to the mass of liquid.

Taking a seat next to the priority ship, Jean Bart joined in the viewing of the waves. "Playing with the waves would be a childish move. They would want something much more devastatingly useful."

"That is true, Jean Bart. Reports of Sirens indicate their use of changing weather patterns or sending ally forces to the Mirror World."

"You don't have to call me by my name."

"Request is confusing, please specify."

The Vichy battleship tightened her lip, the thought of Richileu only aiding in the boiling of her blood. "You're a Richileu-class, non?"

"Oui," the prototype answered back flatly.

"Then we are sisters." Jean Bart stated, fist tightening to hold back the flare. "You can refer to me as such."

To her surprise, Gascogne shook her head. "Negative. Sisterhood implies a sense of knowing one another but Gascogne does not know Jean Bart emotionally. Richelieu, Battleship of the Iris Libre, fits the necessary requirements."

"It doesn't just mean that. We are the same class of ship as those who come from the same mother. We are sisters by default," Jean fired back, the bland tone from the prototype ship becoming a bit unnerving.

"Gascogne's design is paradoxical in nature. Such measures require the classification of 'subclass' as a result." Gascogne tilted her head with her antennae twitching slightly, "Jean Bart, why do you run away from Richelieu?"

"I'm not running, she ran away from her own people." Jean glared, not in the mood to speak about her older sibling.

Nevertheless, Gascogne continued, "Failure of the command structure resulted in the Royal Navy's attack. Battleship Richelieu was unable to do any definite action without violating co-"

"She could have fought out there with us! Even God does not forgive traitors so easily."

Gascogne blinked a couple of times without a shred of emotion emanating out of her eyes. "Jean Bart believes fully in the Vichya Dominion, non? What makes the others look towards you for leadership?"

"I…" Jean Bart honestly could give an answer to the sudden question. She couldn't properly give a reason why the others of the Vichya Dominion saw her as some sort of leader when Richelieu was not around. Was it simply due to her familial tie or was there something? But, considering the events of Mers-el-Kebir, there was a reason. "Ahem, I felt that I needed to fill the void Richileu could not. The others needed someone to rally around. Dunkerque was too heavily damaged to fill the role and honestly, she would have pushed me to do it anyway."

"Mm," Gascogne nodded, antennae twitching once more. "What is the relationship with Battleship Dunkerque?"

"She's my best friend." Jean Bart answered truthfully, the flames within slightly simmering away. "She always wanted Vichya and Iris to work together once more, I could see it in her eyes. Her faith never wavered no matter how many attacks she received from the Royal Navy. If only I had completed my construction, I would have sent those traitors back to their small country. Why are you asking me all these questions?"

Gascogne looked at the waves, her face hiding her intentions like a vault. The Prototype opened her mouth to only close it with her eyes shifting back and forth. It wasn't until she nodded to herself that she answered, "Gascogne wishes to understand Jean Bart emotionally."

"Huh…" Jean Bart was taken aback by the declaration. Just a moment ago, Gascogne was denying any family tie but now she stated the opposite. For a prototype ship, Gascogne was the weirdest of them all. Even so, the frown Jean Bart naturally held loosened a bit. "What other questions do you have?"

Gascogne would have plenty for her.

* * *

**Here was our little shipgirl focused chapter with the next chapter going to be a bit long. Happy Second Anniversary for Azur Lane EN, and oh boy are we getting some good stuff. Stay tuned to whenever I update, see you all later. **


	28. Chapter 28

"And...there."

"Huh, that's the third time in a row I lost."

While the Royal Navy fleet had gotten much closer to their destination in the following days, Gabriel honestly had the hard part of keeping himself entertained. Not that he hated the tea parties Elizabeth invited him, although it was literally every day. It was more of not letting his thoughts wander about what had happened so far. However, he couldn't help in thinking about the one time Elizabeth decided to sit on his lap as her 'honorary throne.' Thankfully, Unicorn was the brighter part of each day; childlike innocence pushing away any stressful or anxious moments.

The teenage light carrier would ask him to play various board games or ask some interesting questions. Interestingly, Unicorn was very good at checkers, which Gabriel happened to be losing at for the third time today. She must be some sort of secret master at the game with all the spare time she spent around Illustrious. Was Illustrious that good at checkers as well?

Still, being beaten by a teenager was definitely a humiliation. Doubly so when he was losing on Unicorn's ship.

"Unicorn, how did you get so good at checkers?" Gabriel asked as he began collecting all of his pieces and returning them to their original positions.

The light carrier smiled earnestly, "Big sister Illustrious played it all with big sister Harmonie. I just picked up on all their moves."

"Harmonie?" Gabriel never heard that name before, it must be another Royal Navy ship he hadn't met yet. "Who is that, if you don't mind me asking."

"Big sister Harmonie is one of Dido's sisters." Unicorn answered with her little plush flapping its tiny wings. "U-chan likes her a lot."

"She sounds like a good person." Gabriel commented, moving one of his red chips for his first turn. "Although, from what I heard about Dido, I hope Harmonie isn't too hard on herself like her sisters."

Unicorn smiled, a smile that could melt the coldest of hearts and cause heart attacks. "She's not like that at all. She tries really hard to impress Queen Elizabeth."

"That's good to hear. Are there others like her I have yet to meet in person?"

"There's a lot. There's big sisters Howe and Eagle who helped keep many of the convoys safe during the war."

Howe and Eagle? Convoy escorts were vital back in the early part of the war, especially for the Northern Parliament. Gabriel wasn't part of that operation but he did contribute some of his best subordinates to keep the Sirens from overrunning the motherland. He never got to hear or see some of the girls who managed the escorts but if Unicorn had a fond view of them, then that was more than enough to say about them. Well, not always but it gave Gabriel more of a positive view.

As the new game of checkers continued, Gabriel glanced down at his revolver to notice that the Royal Navy symbol was faintly illuminated. It had been like this for the past few days and it only drove him to speculate the weapon functioned based on who was present around him. However, with that hypothesis, it didn't light up all the symbols when he was back on base. Even so, what would happen if he fired on one of the enlightened dials?

"Admiral?"

Gabriel blinked before turning to his left to be greeted by Ash. Well, it was easy to assume it wasn't her based on the fact she looked more like her original self, save for lack of the naval cap. "Ah, hello Ash. How are you feeling?"

The carrier sat down on a nearby chair before answering. "Mm, I have to admit that I missed having a hot shower."

"And Ember?"

This time, she looked less pleased. "A bit better than before but she still mumbles about the Sirens from time to time. She's asleep after having showered herself."

Gabriel nodded, "Good. We still have a while to travel through the seas so I want to ask a few things. Excuse us, Unicorn."

Unicorn gave a nod as Gabriel led Ash out of the interior of the ship and towards the bow. The sun was bright as always with clear blue skies stretching as far as the eye could see. The wind flowed past them, caressing their skin as the ship went through the waves.

Now it was time to get serious. "Ash, I want to know a bit more about your Commander and humanity during the dark times. More specifically, about this gun."

Ash's facial expression tightened in response, "There's not much that he told me. There were a lot of things he kept secret all the way to his grave."

Okay, looks like figuring out the weapon was going to be a trial and error method. "Tell me about humanity when it all fell apart."

Ash looked out towards the sea as memories of her past began to claw their way back. "Humanity split itself apart once more. Some took extreme measures like the Ironbloods and their sentient rigging. Others fought until their final breath. A group of us tried to use Siren technology to go to the past."

Humans using time machines? That was something a bit different from what Gabriel was used to. "What happened to them?"

"Never heard from them since."

Damn, that would have been nice to hear of a group of daring individuals going to the past to fix everything. The Sirens wouldn't have let that slide but those people deserved the respect for trying. Gabriel only hoped that a similar situation wouldn't have to happen to this world.

Gabriel cleared his throat as the silence continued, "Sorry for making you remember. I just felt I should know anything that might be useful."

"I don't blame you for asking...It's what you said to me before you stepped through that portal." Ash leaned against the railing as Gabriel gave her a double take. There was another him?! He was one of those individuals that tried fixing the past?!

This was beginning to sound ludicrous. It sounded like some sort of sci-fi novel plotline being revealed. "Ash, please don't tell me that I'm secretly that person and I happened to lose my memories."

To his surprise, Ash merely smiled at that notion. "Of course not. I would have found them after getting access to the Siren's portal network. I can assure you that you're original and nowhere like that other you."

"Phew…" Gabriel sighed, "I was hoping that wasn't the case. But, now that we are on the topic, tell me who else went with this other me…"

There was a pause with the earlier smile being crushed under the frown that replaced it. "I only know of the Wraith."

* * *

After that long journey, Gabriel looked out with wonder as the Royal Navy fleet began to come into port. He could see Big Ben from a distance and it was just as majestic as it looked. From what Sheffield had told him, Elizabeth had planned their course towards London right away. Good thing there was a port for them to dock and get right into walking around the city. Although, it wouldn't be the Admiral's choice on where they would go. He was their guest after all.

The ramp was lowered and awaiting the group was a sizable group of Kansen and regulars. Several maids were part of the group including a few who donned the royal red in their uniform. Once Queen Elizabeth began stepping down the ramp, the whole group bowed until she passed. She would soon be followed by the Royal Knights and maids before Gabriel himself was allowed to disembark with the others.

As he reached the cement of the port, one of the maids bowed. "Welcome to England, Master Harper. I will take your luggage."

Gabriel took a moment to look her over and noted she wore a little more black in her maid outfit compared to the others. The skirt portion of her dress had much more fabric and one could wonder what she could hide under it. Possibly some of her rigging could be concealed in such a big dress?

"How do yo-?" Gabriel was beginning to question how the maid could know his name. Did Queen Elizabeth reveal it to the rest of the Royal Navy? Most likely, and the other factions Kansen would most likely know his full name as well. So much for staying incognito…

"Her Majesty told me, Master. Harmonie, at your service," A quick curtsey tacked onto the simple introduction.

Gabriel handed over his luggage before replying, "So you're the one Unicorn was talking about. Dido's sister if I recall correctly."

"Ms. Unicorn has been talking about me? Oh heavens, I think she exaggerates my capabilities." Harmonie raised a hand to her mouth to suppress a giggle. "Now then, Her Majesty has already made arrangements for your quarters."

"Great, I assumed it was already arranged. Let's get moving."

From the port, the trip to the palace was beyond imagination. Gabriel had to use as much of his willpower to not let his eyes wander all over the city. So many shops, people, and unique structures made by men from older times. Naturally, some eyes landed on him since his uniform already was giving off an obvious importance factor. Another was the fact that there was a bit of a procession for Queen Elizabeth, which happened to be a bit overdone. His only relief would be when it all ended at the palace.

* * *

"Ah...this is nice."

Gabriel was splayed out on a bed inside one of the palace's many rooms. Thanks to the generosity of the Queen, he got one of the larger bedrooms with too many luxuries to count; he wasn't complaining about it though. He thought that the bed back on base was comfortable but this one...this was like sleeping on clouds. If there weren't any prior plans, he would have fallen asleep right now. Speaking of plans…

_Tap Tap Tap_

"Yes?"

"Master, are you ready? Lady Hood and Howe are waiting for you." Sheffield's voice came from the other end of a large door.

"Right, I'll be right there," Gabriel answered, rising from the bed with an annoyed grunt. The bed could wait but he really wanted to sleep in it.

Checking himself quickly thanks to the nearby bathroom, Gabriel noted he dressed appropriately for the date. He changed out of his uniform for a white short-sleeved dress shirt paired with some jeans. The weather today was cool but not cold enough where he had to wear a sweater.

"Sheffield, where has Ash and Ember gone?"

"Outside, waiting for you to join Lady Hood and Howe. Please don't let your lazy tendencies make them wait."

Punctual and brutal in her honesty. Gabriel did not want to make the maid mad just because he was a little late. With that said, he opened the door and was led towards the exit where he could spot Hood and another blond woman talking with her. She wore a red dress with a large hat and seemed to have traits similar to Prince of Wales. Could this be the other woman Unicorn mentioned?

His presence alerted the two ladies with Hood smiling. Unlike her usual attire, Hood wore a simple collared white blouse finished with a black skirt. "Did the Queen's generosity impress you, Admiral?"

"More than impressive, Hood," Gabriel answered with a nod. There was hardly a good word to express how generous the Queen was being without losing proper etiquette.

The other woman spoke, "Admiral Gabriel Harper, I presume? Reading your files has been quite a lot of red tape. There's hardly anything about you that wasn't inked out."

"Secrecy was the motto during the war. Nobody knew who was a traitor when it all started so everyone's names were inked out for safety." Gabriel held out his hand in an offering manner, "And what might your name be, Mis?"

"Howe, Admiral. You may call me Howe." The lady placed her hand on top which Gabriel kissed. "I can see why Hood speaks fondly of you."

"A pleasure to meet you, Howe. Do you happen to be one of Wales's sisters?"

Hood decided to answer, "She is, Gabriel. The youngest of them in fact. I asked Wales to join us but she wanted to rest and enjoy some sliced cucumbers."

"Before George eats them all that is, " Howe added; both ladies giggling afterward at the misfortune of the two older sisters clashing over food.

"I won't judge if she wants to enjoy the day by herself. Now, where are we going first?" Gabriel mused as the day wasn't going to wait for them.

Hood answered, "You won't find out until we get there. Sheffield, will you please accompany us?"

"Yes, Lady Hood." Sheffield bowed as the group began the trek out of the palace and towards the city. Warm sun flashing above them with small formations of clouds dotting the sky. A double decker bus passed by with crowds of people disembarking or embarking. Children running amok against the behest of their parents.

The streets were as crowded as expected. Many pedestrians walking around with some stuff in their phones, having conversations or staring blankly ahead. In a way, Gabriel was expecting someone to recognize them but it seemed like nobody paid attention to a group. Ash and Ember were doing a good job keeping out of sight although how they did so was unknown. So far, everything was going quite peachy but it was only the beginning.

"Hey Hood, how come nobody seems to be paying attention to us?" Gabriel finally asked as he began to feel uneasy of not being noticed. The perks of being the only man on base honestly made him a bit spoiled with the attention he received.

"A few good reasons, Gabriel. For one, we aren't standing out amongst the crowds. Second, the public knows about us but don't treat us like celebrities since we are still considered military projects. Finally, the populace is far too busy with their daily life to pay attention to us when we look like them." Hood explained

Howe added on, "Keep in mind, our presence is only ever noticed when the Sirens or another potential danger presents itself. With the current peace we are in, it's easy for the average person to forget."

"There is also the fact that cell phones and computers have fried the brains of the young. It's a good thing you aren't that way, it would be a shame if you were too distracted by the screen." Sheffield finished with her visible eye narrowing almost to a glare

"_Sheffield, why do you have to do this to me?" _Gabriel suppressed the urge to question the maid's tone but she always was like this. Guess there was no exception even if there were other members of the Royal Navy around.

"And we're here."

The group was in front of some sort of clothing store but a little more refined than most. Why were they there? Gabriel didn't know as the ladies dragged him into men's most hated chore, shopping. Shopping itself wasn't a problem but once there were items that caught a woman's eye, they took quite a while. Thankfully, it wasn't one of those times, but something worse.

"Girls...what are we doing here?" Gabriel let out a held breath as he asked.

Howe was the first to answer, "Getting you some new clothes. I've been hearing from Her Majesty that you normally wear the same clothing."

"That's because I live on a base where I'm normally in uniform throughout the day besides several occasions."

"Then you won't mind if we get you some more," Hood replied.

Gabriel lost all forms of protest as the two ladies went around and began to explore some options to outfit the officer. Sheffield stayed by his side and simply said, "Worry not, Master. I'm making sure you don't run away if you try to escape."

"Thanks for your vote of confidence, Sheffield," Gabriel drawled under his breath.

While the girls shopped, Gabriel began to ponder on what he had learned from Ash. There was another version of him from her timeline who didn't lead the Kansens so who was the commander? More importantly, who was this person she called the Wraith? Some soldier that didn't like to talk about his name or was it a codename for someone very important. Another question was if any of those people landed in this timeline.

"Mr. Harper, please try this one." Gabriel's thoughts were broken as Howe came to him with some clothes.

So he did. Finding a changing room and changing into the new clothes to inspect what Howe wanted to see. In a way, she also had some good tastes. The clothes were a long-sleeved shirt with a brown jacket over it finished with a pair of dark jeans. To be honest, he really looked tacky and this whole experience was not good already.

"You look marvelous. Now let's see what else would look good on you." Howe commented before sprinting off into the jungle of clothes

"_When did I become a model for a bunch of girls?" _Gabriel could only think. Quickly, he changed out of the trial clothes and back to his regulars with the burning desire to see this shopping experience over with before someone else got a funny idea.

Sadly, fate was mocking him once more in the form of Hood bringing him another outfit. "Look over here, darling. I found something."

This was only the beginning.

* * *

After an hour or two of shopping for clothes, the group made its way out. Thanks to the ladies, Gabriel had received at least a few more casual outfits to wear besides the uniform. Now they were back onto the next destination that he had no clue of and feared it was another store. If this was how he would experience England on day one, it was not a very good impression. This time around, he would be relieved to see a train station nearby.

"Ah, we're traveling by train now? Where to" Gabriel inquired with interest, his previous dampened mood being thrown away.

"To the museums. There are quite a few if we take the train and on the return trip, we'll stop by one of the theaters," Hood answered. The battlecruiser then went up to the ticket booth to purchase the tickets. Afterward, the group was promptly ushered into the available train in some more than accommodating seats.

The train car interior was the most exclusive out of the options available. Comfortable seating that diplomats or higher members of society could afford. Polished wood trim that gave off an older era of train cart compared to the current year. This wasn't just a first-class type of trip, this had to be a VIP sort of accommodation. How much did it cost for the tickets alone?

"Mr. Harper, would you be so kind as to answer a few questions? If it doesn't bother you for me to ask about your little situation." Howe said. The lady laying her hands comfortably at her lap like many ladies seen on the television.

For her to ask about his little situation, however, was a bit odd. Was she referring to the fun part of being the centerpiece in a multinational marriage agreement? "Depends on what you are asking, Howe. There are a few topics I can't discuss due to confidentiality."

The battleship shook her head, "Oh no, not those types of matters. I was merely inquiring about your role in holding Azur Lane together. Specifically, the agreement between the factions to have equal members marry you."

"To be honest, it was done without my input and knowledge. I am no stranger in seeing some of my subordinates show affection towards me, the agreement has made things a bit more...complicated."

"Her Majesty has such insight to make it a bit easier for you then. If I recall, it was her idea to propose the idea with little resistance from the other factions." Hood added. A nearby attendant began to get them some tea and other refreshments meanwhile.

Gabriel raised a brow to the news. He didn't think Queen Elizabeth, of all leaders, would present such an offer. "No one resisted or pointed out an issue?"

"None, it was clear that if you are married to at least one member to each faction, it would keep a relative balance for the future. The practice is a bit archaic in nature, but it is no doubt effective. Especially so when you have gotten close with several individuals." Sheffield explained precisely.

So Gabriel happened to be in a perfect position to be a political and military adhesive. His current relationships with a good number of Kansen from their respective factions made it easy to make the offer pleasing. He wished it could have been brought to him first before it was implemented but the importance was significant. There were still some old grudges that might flare up so it was a precautionary measure.

Gabriel blew some air out with the thoughts still lingering on his mind. The more he thought about it, the more it upset him but also relieved some unnecessary stress. The only problem was introducing the girls to his mother. How would she feel about it? "I'll give my regards to the Queen the next time I see her. Say, Howe, how was your experience with the convoys?"

"Quite unforgiving, Gabriel," Howe replied with her charming smile faltering. "Ironblood were using some sort of cloaking device to hide the identities of their forces. Then the Sirens attacked and we were forced to engage them. Had we known that the Ironbloods were targeting Scapa Flow at the time, it would have been reinforced. Part of the convoy was destroyed but we were able to save most of them."

"Eugen is very smart under that teasing personality. A cloaking device was not what I had expected when I heard the report."

"Indeed she is, we were played like fools. Although, I was able to heavily damage the Siren Omitter with a well-placed strike." Howe smiled once more, "But, the past is the past. When is your wedding with Lady Hood?"

Gabriel was taken aback by the request but Hood was a few steps ahead of him. "Her Majesty is already making preparations. She hasn't given me a date for it but very soon is the expectation."

"Wonderful! I hope it's within this week. Mr. Harper, I do hope you know that you have made such an excellent decision. Had I not met you until today, I was thinking you would have married one of my older sisters." the battleship teased with a childish tone.

Chuckling, Gabriel replied. "No offense to your sisters, but, I haven't found myself attracted to them in the slightest. George is a great cook and I don't need to comment on her much. I'm just trying to take this as slow as possible."

"You already failed miserably at that, Master." Sheffield coldly interjected, making the Admiral sigh in defeat.

"Thank you for pointing that out, Sheffield."

Howe raised a brow while looking to Hood for an answer. "Gabriel has already married himself with Ms. Eugen and promised two more Ironbloods his hand."

Surprised, Howe gasped at the answer. "Mr. Harper! You might actually put the Prince of Wales to shame with your progress."

Oh god. During his time in the academy, Gabriel had read about Prince of Wales's namesake and it was not pretty. She wasn't proud of it either considering her original name was even worse and could have brought misfortune. Still, being compared to a man who was so shameless with his sex life was not something anyone would want. If there was any moment for Sheffield to shoot him with one of her many types of bullets, this one would be a good time. Preferably, the 'sleepy' rounds and not the 'cleaning' ones.

Sadly, Howe didn't end there. "Who else have you promised yourself to? Which faction, and have you officially been married to them?"

This was going to be a long day

* * *

The museums couldn't have come faster. After that embarrassing moment in the train, Gabriel was just relieved to be focusing on historical monuments, artifacts, or other items of great importance. Some of them come from wars in England's past and others from other places in the world. Weapons from an age where a man stood in long lines and fired in volleys to some magazine fed rifles. Times where his ancestors could only live through and never see how technology has evolved.

"Master? You've been looking at those cases for quite a while now." Sheffield spoke to drag Gabriel back on track.

"Sorry Sheffield, those questions Howe brought up is still bothering me. Anything to keep my mind thinking something else helps."

The maid nodded, "I agree that Lady Howe's questions were a bit touchy but she simply has not experienced much of the world unlike her sisters. She can be a bit naive at times even if she means well."

Gabriel began to walk around the museum once more, hoping to find something else to distract him. "She seemed interested in knowing my current promises."

"She has experienced little romance, Master," Sheffield mentioned. "All she knows are books and whatever people say about romance. You don't plan on courting her as well, are you?"

Gabriel shook his head. "Not even close. I don't know much about her and I already stated that I'm trying to take this slow. Where did Howe and Hood run off to?"

"A different part of the museum. We will be able to meet them at the entrance once we are finished."

The duo would then walk a section of the museum that held more ancient artifacts. Some were ancient weapons of bronze swords or rudimentary iron weapons while others were tools for farming. Clay pots for water or other liquids lined many shelves with damaged tapestries displaying their once glorious marks. Items of a simpler time where no foe from the future threatened humanity.

But, while the Admiral and Sheffield were walking within the museum, Ash and Ember were watching from the rooftop of a nearby building. Given that most people don't look above them, they would not be spotted and even if they were, only the Kansen knew who they were.

Ember silently watched with her fingers idly tapping at the hilt of her katana. "Did you tell him?"

Ash, who had been mulling over her prior conversations, nodded. "I informed him about the attempt."

"But you didn't try to explain everything about Wraith?"

"I didn't need to. For all we know, they all died in vain."

Ember hissed, "They didn't die."

"What?" Ash looked over with her pupils almost bulging out of their place. "How did they survive?"

"Uncertain but somehow, they survived the journey. The Sirens were tracking them for a while but lost their trail shortly before we came to this reality."

"Then…." Ash lost the words for they had ceased to convey. All she could do was look out as far as her eyes could perceive. Past the man-made buildings and towards the sea like something was coming.

Something indeed...

* * *

'_Error…..Primary systems non-funcxtscds….attempting repair…'_

The Leviathan had lived. The broken and sparking body twitched and contorted as armor plating came off unnecessary systems. The smaller fish-like beings began to burrow themselves into the great beast before humming with a red hue and converting into plating itself. But, as they did so, someone was watching the whole scene play out with mild amusement. The beating the creature had sustained wasn't permanent damage but it was still considerable.

"Was she here?" the figure spoke in a baritone octave. His hood flailing against the harsh winds in play as rain poured in gallons. The howls of the wind raised to a screeching level but hardly fazed the person.

'_Target identified...Designation Ash…'_

More sparks danced over the metal serpent's body as repairs continued. The figure rose from his sitting position and looked out to sea. "So the traitors have decided to help this reality? What is your game, Arbiter?"

'_Priority Target Atlas identified….Exposure to Wisdom Cube radiation has caus-...Error: Analysis incomplete…'_

"Wisdom Cube exposure...Very interesting. Let's make sure we upset her little experiment."

A crackle in the sky broke the heavens as lightning whipped across the sea. A low whine was heard behind the figure before footsteps followed. Turning around, the person turned to address his visitor. The rain pelted the other man's cloak and bounced harmlessly off his gloves while he gave a salute.

"Report."

"No signs of Sirens. Signatures have completely escaped this version of reality besides Ash and Ember. Last known location was England." The man's voice was slightly higher pitched but slightly muffled. He produced a small device that began to blink every other second.

The figure took the device before speaking, "Good. I was fearing the Sirens might have been three steps ahead of us. Let's pay our former friends a visit."

* * *

Gabriel gave his limbs a stretch as he had laid down on one of the sofas within the palace. The train ride back had put him in a sleepy mood and he almost snoozed through it if it weren't for the fact Sheffield had to pinch him every time. Being in a different part of the world was beginning to mess with his sleep schedule to where he was now finding himself awake during the night. Supper was currently being prepared while he rested near a healthy flame from the fireplace.

The orange-red light that emanated from the source was beautiful to look at and lit up the room in a more natural manner. At the same time, it also pointed out how the edges of the room were darker than normal. Out of the corner of his eye, Gabriel noticed someone standing in the dark. Only one person was known to do that, at least someone that he knew.

"Ember, is something wrong?" He asked, rising to a sitting position on the couch.

The fallen warrior broke ranks from the shadows and answered, "Admiral, has Ash told you everything from where we come from?"

"No, not everything. I can surmise what has happened based on what you and she have told me." Gabriel answered earnestly. With so many little details that were yet to be unveiled, the main picture was still there. "You come from a time where everything that could go wrong, did so. Humanity was decimated, most of the girls died in battle, and you two were last survivors. But, Ash did reveal a group of humans who tried to reset the clock."

Ember looked towards the flames of the fireplace dance around with no consequence. If only humanity had been like that. "Those people did survive but failed to fix our world."

"And?"

There was a pause as the faint crackle of wood filled the air. Ember lowered her gaze to her sheathed blade, pulling it out slightly to see her reflection on the weapon. "They've been hunting us since we left our doomed reality."

A sudden weight pressed on Gabriel's shoulders with his heart slowing. The dots began to connect a bit more but the Sirens weren't involved. "So those things...the Leviathans...You said the Sirens must have sent them."

"Earlier, I believed so. But, with what Ash has spoken about your dreams, it is clear the Sirens are merely puppeteering events." Ember spoke with the blade sheathed once more. "Those machines were sent by those who want to see me and Ash erased."

"Why?"

"Because we fled our home when all was lost. To those, like the Wraith, we are no better than Sirens. Traitors to humanity itself and they believe that so long as we live, we will doom other realities."

As her words rang into the air, the fire slicked back and forth in response. The room either became darker or more illuminated by the light. Gabriel's burden was only increasing by each passing second, "So how long do we have until we see your friends?"

Ember heard the crackle of lightning outside with her hand gripping her sword tight. "Very soon."

* * *

**Hey all, sorry for the delay. Procrastination and video games can be a bit of a handful. So, one more chapter for the side story with some more spicy things coming up with this story. I hope this chapter was up to your guys' satisfaction as I had to make the decision to spread it out again. **

**We're actually very close to this story almost being a year old. Whoo, I didn't think I could keep a story going this long but I have you guys to thank. In the meantime, I will be sailing the seas on World of Warships: Legends to get the Roma. So yes, I am a console peasant.**

**Stay tuned.**


	29. Chapter 29

Sun poured into the room through the gap between the curtains to dispel the darkness. Traces of the rays scoured through the room as the ranks of its enemy fell before lightly touching the sleeping form of Gabriel. Despite the darkness waning, the man refused to budge under the protection of the warm blankets. His face bliss with how snug his position was and no one to bother him.

Well, almost nobody.

A few knocks came from the wooden door on the opposite side of the room. "Master, rise and shine." When Gabriel refused to even give a grunt, the knocking occurred once more...and again...and again. That it did until the door was opened with a slightly miffed Sheffield standing over the sleeping officer with a sidearm drawn.

"Pest." A shot rang out immediately afterward with enough sudden noise to send Gabriel flailing off the bed. He flailed so violently that the former allies of blanket and pillow changed sides and held him in an entanglement.

Expectantly, Gabriel was now in a sour mood by the rude awakening."Sheffield! What the hell?!"

"Simply following a maid's duties." The maid's answers were supported by the small trail of smoke that was emanating from her weapon. "Considering you have had little exercise save for the tour, an early routine with Eagle is in order."

Eagle? Huh, funny name for a Royal Navy kansen considering there was the Eagle Union. How confusing that would be if she were to ever join in operation with his home faction. He could imagine Enterprise calling her comrades 'eagles' and cause a bit of confusion for Eagle herself. That, or Gabriel was overthinking it again and it was simply not the case. Still, a workout routine would be very nice since he couldn't recall when he actually put his muscles through training.

"Alright. Let me get dressed. A light breakfast would also be nice," Gabriel gruffed while untangling himself out of his predicament. Sheffield would bow and leave the room so he could get some privacy unless she was secretly curious underneath that poker face. Then again, Sheffield was nowhere like any of the other women Gabriel had interacted with.

Good thing he had packed a change of clothes for any situation. A couple of minutes was all Gabriel needed to change into a slim but athletic outfit. A short-sleeved grey tank top with black seats and running shoes. He had no clue what Eagle's workout regime was but if there was anything he learned while working with these special girls, they had the stamina to last. No, he was not referring to the bedroom, although, that can also be inferred.

Leaving the room, Gabriel was greeted with a tray riding on top of a cart. Lifting the tray, a plate held a couple of biscuits filled with creme and jelly. He would thank Sheffield for the choice of food later but for right now, he needed to find Eagle. Walking around the hallway while eating one of the biscuits, his search for the woman would not take him long.

His first idea was to simply go towards the front doors of the palace and expect her waiting out there. His assumption would be correct as there was a woman standing near the doors wearing something that spoke Royal Navy. Was it the fact that she had a small cape or the headwear reminded him of cadet hats back at the academy? Either way, the woman was speaking words to no one while looking as if she contemplated a major decision.

"Eagle, I presume?" Gabriel spoke to alert the opposition to his presence.

The woman nodded and gave a quick salute. "Yes. HMS Eagle at your service, Admiral Harper. I do hope that you won't mind joining me in my morning routine."

"Not at all."

"Excellent. Have you had anything to eat yet?"

Gabriel answered honestly, "Just a couple of biscuits with some jam and creme in them."

What he was surprised by was Eagle suddenly began muttering under her breath while staring right at him. "That should be at least three hundred..no...four hundred calories depending on the preserves."

"I beg your pardon?" he asked with confusion increasingly clouding his understanding.

Eagle shook her head in response, "No, forgive me. I am on a diet so I tend to speak out loud about nutrition. Will you be able to jog ten kilometers, Admiral?"

"Considering I watch over a base full of women like you, yeah. I should be able to do so without too much trouble," Gabriel answered confidently thanks to his prior experience with more athletic kansen like Baltimore.

"Really? From what I've heard, you normally are stuck in an office all day."

"Word gets out easily, doesn't it?" Gabriel joked although he wondered what else comes through the grapevine. What were the girls talking about him when he wasn't around?

Eagle opened the doors but not without taking off her small cape and headwear. "Shall we get going then?"

"Lead on."

The converted carrier began to move at a steady jogging pace with the Admiral falling right after. He knew that she could easily outpace him but was relieved to see Eagle keep a modest pace. Any idle conversation would have to wait since talking would throw off any rhythmic breathing needed to avoid cramps. But, at least Gabriel's thoughts were stuck on what Ash had been telling him about Wraith and Ember's warning about him.

* * *

"_So who were they? Or rather, who was Wraith before he got that name?" Gabriel asked, looking at the future Enterprise for some sort of answer. The sea breeze brushed over them as they continued their journey to England._

_The fleet carrier looked out to sea like some sort of answer lay there. Her memories flooding back as the sea began to distort to an endless abyss of fire and wreckage. Siren corpses and those of various mass-produced models with a kansen here and there. So many years of endless strife to the only end like that...defeat. _

_She blinked and her vision was clouded with a memory of being inside a naval base. Her Commander discussed something with the man called Wraith. Whatever he said infuriated the other as discussion turned into a debate and then to shouting. Whatever words were said ended with both walking away but Wraith seemed to have the last word._

"_With all due respect, sir, if you aren't willing to win this war by any means necessary, then we will."_

_Her Commander turned around with fury in his eyes, "You're willing to sacrifice everything we've worked so hard to achieve?!"_

"_Worked hard to achieve? Look around you, sir, Azur Lane is a corpse of its former self and the Sirens are taking over our homes day by day. Neither you nor your girls has been able to stop their progress and people are dying every day. Your little peashooter and whatever project you're working on will not change anything."_

"_So you think traveling to the past is going to fix everything?"_

"_It's well worth a try. Even if the Sirens figure out what I'm planning, I got a little ace on my sleeve." Wraith proceeded to pull out some sort of compact device that was no larger than his hand._

_Her Commander recoiled at the sight, "That's too dangerous, even for you or your men. The only way for that to work correctly based on the Doctor's instructions was…"_

"_I know." Wraith looked at the device, a gentle humming emanating from inside. "She was willing to sacrifice herself for it."_

_With no more words spoken, Wraith walked towards the exit of the base. The heavy footfalls dimming every step and the Commander losing his anger. When Ash looked over to him, all she could see was a tired man with very little friends and too many enemies. She had never seen him so depressed._

* * *

"Admiral….Admiral? Do you need a break, Admiral Harper?" Gabriel came to when Eagle's voice finally spoke to him. He hadn't paid attention to whether he needed a moment to rest and frankly, he didn't feel he required it.

"I'm all good, let's keep going." Gabriel huffed as his body began to require a steady supply of oxygen to fuel his muscles. Eagle didn't say a word as their morning jog continued in the cold weather. For some athletes, it was perfect weather to workout in since the cold would help keep their bodies cool for the duration of the session.

To say that he didn't need it was a complete lie. By the time Eagle and Gabriel returned to the castle, they were both dripping with sweat. "Forgive me if I sound rude but I'm surprised that you were able to keep pace."

Breathing heavily, Gabriel let out a breathless chuckle. "Again, I watch over a base full of women like you. I think I can keep up to a certain degree. Although, if I ever got to fight a Siren face to face, well, I'm minced meat."

"Even if your weapon is said to kill a Siren?" Eagle questioned while looking towards his right hip where the revolver normally would be settled. Gabriel had carried it so often that it almost didn't register that it wasn't on his person. Then again, who would bring a gun with them out in the open during a workout routine? No criminal, no matter how deranged, would conceive of trying to murder a high ranking officer with a shipgirl as a bodyguard.

"More or less. I tried using some gifts from the future but I'm not a good combatant in practice. I think you girls should take the heavy lifting and I'll stick to the strategizing." Gabriel admitted with a reluctant sigh. The haunting image of being almost killed twice by futuristic mechanical monsters still haunted him. Now there was a group of soldiers from the future with some unknown goals running around. If it wasn't clear, Gabriel was no soldier in comparison to the women around him.

"Even so, would it not be a good idea to have the capabilities of a soldier for emergency's sake? If a Siren were to ever breach your command ship, you need to be able to defend yourself." Eagle noted with a sound argument once Gabriel mulled it over. However, who was to say the Sirens would even let him have that chance?

With the topic at hand, the possibilities of alternate officers leading Azur Lane was intriguing. Was there a Commander who happened to be a soldier? A British one at that, with a different set of tactics compared to Gabriel? Were they more open to their shipgirls or taking a more professional route but not denying the possibility? Perhaps he could meet them one day…

A chuckle escaped his lips which Eagle raised a brow at. Did the Admiral find that suggestion amusing or was this some sort of Eagle Union sense of humor? "Was it something I said?"

"No, heh, I was just thinking over something hilarious. You're fine, Eagle."

"Very well, I do have some duties to attend to. I appreciate you joining me in my morning jog." Eagle looked at the corner of her eye and spotted Howe with her sisters in the courtyard. "I ask the others but there always is an excuse."

Gabriel could guess what that might be but was there really no other Royal Navy kansen willing to workout with Eagle? There were plenty in the Eagle Union who wouldn't say no. "Is it not lady-like to get themselves covered in sweat?"

"In a manner of speaking." Eagle nodded, straightening her uniform, and retrieving her other materials. "Until next time, Admiral Harper. Good day."

Eagle left to who knows where while Gabriel returned back to his room. A shower would be nice to take while he was still sweating or he might get Sheffield on him about his smell. As punctual as she was, Sheffield can be a bit overbearing with her duties. Hell, he couldn't recall how many times she fired her pistols at him during his career. Something was up with her and he could not figure it out right now.

A quick shower with warm water did wonders to how Gabriel felt in the morning. A raised mood and fewer thoughts on what was to come. The only thing to keep him busy was when his phone began buzzing loudly. "Martin?"

"There you are, I've been trying to reach you yesterday but one of your girls said you were in England," The voice of the older man gruffed. "You know how annoying it is to get in contact with the embassy and try to contact you through there?"

"A lot I'm assuming."

"You damn right it was! Clarify this, are you this person, can you prove that you are who you say you are?" Gabriel tried to hold back a smile at the image of Martin ranting in his office. The old man was not in the mood with tedious protocols when there wasn't a war to worry about. "Then, you have one of the maids answer the phone and they tell me you went off on a jog. Time zones are a mess, kid."

Ok, now Gabriel couldn't hold back a smile. "Are you sure your age is getting to you?"

"Oh shut up." Martin cleared his throat as his tone became more serious and grim. "So I heard that we might be having company from another timeline."

Likewise, Gabriel lost his smile when the conversation became much more important. "Yeah, Ash mentioned a group of soldiers that might be after her and Ember. They were on some mission to change history in humanity's favor but the Sirens had put a stop to that."

"Now they are in our timeline for what? A group of soldiers with that kind of goal either have to be the craziest or the most determined men. If they're running around, who knows what they might do. Part of me wants to believe they might help us if we can establish contact with them."

"Martin," Gabriel interjected, "with all due respect, Ash also told me that they want to kill her and Ember. I don't think they will negotiate if they have that kind of goal in mind."

"Believing two fallen kansens that caused your fleet problems is also concerning," Martin pointed out. "Who knows if they have some sort of secret agenda that you don't know about. Keep an eye on those two and if I were you, don't trust them."

With brows furrowed at the thought of those kansens betraying him, Gabriel replied. "They saved my life when we went to take out the Leviathan. I think I can trust them a bit more than some random soldiers looking to kill them. But, what do you think they could want from us?"

"Other than killing those two girls of yours? I'm not sure. If I were them, I would need resources, connections and a whole lot of secrecy. The worst part is we don't know what kind of technology they might possess. Keep your eyes peeled."

"Will do." Gabriel laid down on his bed with his eyes looking towards the ceiling. "How's my mother? Is she still hoping I return home someday?"

"She's okay," Martin answered with a relieving tone. "She just worries about you since you're her only son after what happened to your brothers. I visit her from time to time to console her but I don't think anything but you will make her feel at home."

"Well, I have a planned trip to Germany in about a month with the Ironbloods. I can probably head back the following month if nothing happens in between. Taking all these trips takes a toll on me but seeing the girls in their home country is well worth it."

"That's just like you. I still remember when you were a revenge-driven cadet during the academy. Few friends and not wanting to speak up unless you had to."

A good mood shattered and was replaced with the familiar void of wounds. Some still never healed no matter how mended. "Could you blame me? The fantasy of me being on a broadway musical for the rest of my life ended that day. That infamous day."

"I know, but there's nothing you can do about it. History is history. All you can do right now is be ready for what comes ahead, whatever it is." Martin's words echoed like that of a fatherly hand on a son's shoulder. "I better get back to it before the rest of the brass get a bit antsy about the paperwork. Oh, speaking of which, contact me when you plan on coming back. There's a conference that Azur Lane needs to hold and we will want you there."

"Politics or is there something actually important?"

"A mix of everything. The main event is for the admiralty of each nation to meet one another and discuss future plans. You were requested for so I wouldn't want to miss this."

"I'll start making plans. Talk to you later, Martin."

Gabriel ended the line with thoughts about the conference. So many questions that he could wonder about what to expect and the plans he had to make. Add his mother being the cherry on top and the whole idea was going to be one complicated move.

* * *

Big Ben, as it was known to the common person, was the easiest structure to spot in London. The old building is still turning its dials and rigging at exactly twelve of every time. But right now, it was the location of a few individuals hiding within the structure with several of the guards and workers unconscious.

"Preparations should be ready except for Spider getting us inside the palace. Keep a lookout for anyone who might compromise our mission and give me updates if something goes south. We only have so much time before someone suspects."

"Ash and Ember our secondary objectives?"

"Tertiary. No need to focus on them while we maintain the element of surprise. The main objective is getting into the palace and retrieving the cargo. If everything goes well, we will be out of there before they know we're here."

"What about him? Should we just make our lives simple and put a bullet in him? It'll save us half the trouble."

"Negative, the Sirens have an interest in this timeline for some reason, yet they have decided to not attack. Until further intel is uncovered, no lethal force. Incapacitations only."

"Yes sir, should I call in our heavy hitter?"

"Go ahead, let's give them a bit of a spook. It should be here by nightfall to light up the night."

* * *

The lavish decorations of the party room would put anyone to shame. Banners and glass chandeliers being most present in the room with marble walls that reflected the sun's light. Although the reason why someone would be here of all places besides the throne room or the courtyard was different depending on who you ask. So why was Gabriel called here for?

"I'm glad you can make it, Admiral. Has my older sister treated you fairly?" The new voice in the room did not sound like anyone Gabriel was familiar with. It sounded a bit lighter but held the same regalness that was expected of Queen Elizabeth.

A quick turn to his left gave rise to another kansen who dressed similarly to the said battleship. The only couple of exceptions being differences of color and a cape flowing from her back. Well, it would be flowing if she wasn't just as short as the Queen herself. Although, it would be best not to mention the height difference lest one could be punished severely.

"And you might be?" Gabriel could only assume that this girl was related to Elizabeth in some way but he wasn't going to make conclusions yet.

"Valiant, sister to the Queen." The kansen did a curtsey before following up, "Although I may not be that recognized among the Royal Navy, I can assure you I am quite strong myself."

"Nice to meet you and to answer your previous question, she has." The Admiral was inclined to bow slightly to at least appear respectful. "Weren't you a part of the task force assigned to the supply convoys towards the Northern Parliament?"

A sparkle flashed briefly in her eyes with her posture standing upright. "Ah, so you have heard of me then. It's good to see that someone of your standing can recognize true leadership when it presents itself."

"To be fair, it wasn't just all your doing. The others deserve just as much credit as you, especially when it comes to taking down the Siren Omitter." Gabriel added, much to the dismay of the battleship.

"Fair point, but for now, I have heard that you are a rather adept player of chess. As a rather prominent player myself, I would like to challenge you to a match in this chamber."

Being an adept player was an understatement when Gabriel's experience with the strategic game was filled with many matches against minds like Tirpitz. "How can I refuse?"

"Excellent, maids!" The petite battleship clapped her hands with the room entered by Newcastle and Glasgow. In no time, a table was set with a set of black and white pieces on a checkered battlefield. Royalty, naturally, got to have the light colored pieces while the guest was set with the dark ones.

Then, the battle began. Match after match of continuous battles to test the minds of a kansen and a human. Soldiers of porcelain fighting and dying with every move they made for no cause but victory. However, Valiant would find that each match ended like the other; defeat smacking reality upon her. Yet, the battleship did not yield no matter how much her losses piled while Gabriel maintained composed through each one.

Valiant's first attempt was an aggressive push for her opponent's king, trying to force a move that could cost the entire match. However, as if expected, Gabriel simply remained steadfast and countered her obvious thrust. The next match was completely opposite in nature with the girl taking a defensive approach to only be blitzkrieged like the Maginot Line. All attempts ended in failure to the point the battleship was blowing excess steam.

"H-H-How?! I-I've lived far longer than you have and you somehow know exactly whatever move I'm making! Hmph." Valiant pouted and turned her back on the Admiral.

His answer was simple. "When you are on a naval base without any action, you tend to pick up quite a few skills to pass the time. I just so happen to play chess quite often with Tirpitz and others."

"Hmph, very well. I'll accept your explanation since that makes the most sense." Valiant dropped her behavior, grinning triumphantly for some reason. "As a result, for your efforts, I will make you my honorary attendant."

"Huh?"

"It's quite an honor compared to the loathsome title of servant. I will make sure that you are treated much better than my older sister ever has."

Gabriel was not swayed there was much of a difference. "Don't they mean roughly the same thing? Sure, attendant sounds nice on paper but they basically do the same tasks.

The battleship was not having it. "Oh, you amuse me, attendant. No wonder someone like Hood would be engaged to you with that sense of humor. Now then, let's have another match but please...go easy on me?"

The Admiral relented and played another match with the younger sister. Well, one match turned out to be more of a series of matches with each one frustrating Valiant. Even when he purposely made mistakes, Valiant hardly improved and made the excuse that he was 'tricking her' the entire time. If Tirpitz were around to participate, it would be just a sad display of poor fellow while they were down.

The worst part was Valiant kept insisting on another match...all the way till evening. By that point, it was close to one hundred games with ninety-nine going to Gabriel and the last given to Valiant. The only breaks were restroom and meal breaks so there could be a relief for all this. The last game going to Valiant just so happened to be the one to end this grueling endeavor.

"Ha! I won! I knew my strategies were simply rusty and I would eventually triumph." The petite kansen proclaimed, standing on her chair to project her voice more. "I did enjoy this, attendant. Let's have another match tomorrow."

Gabriel was not so inclined to go through this again. "Sure...just not so long maybe?"

The door slammed open in an instant before either of them could speak any longer on their century of chess. Sheffield and Gloucester entered quickly, "Master, come with us. There is a situation."

Finally, some action to smooth out the night.

* * *

A short trip through the palace brought Gabriel to the throne room that turned into some sort of strategic operation center. Many kansen were here, some with rigging activated while the others had not. More importantly, Elizabeth was sitting amongst the Royal Knights with a holographic projector displaying the bird's eye view of London with one very large red dot incoming.

"What's the situation? Sirens?" Gabriel questioned in an instant, mind focused purely at the situation at hand. He had no clue what Wraith or his followers were capable of nor how many were there.

His answers would be honored by Wales. "Reports of an unknown vessel approaching London have put everyone on high alert. Achilles and Ajax went to investigate and confirmed that it is no mass-produced vessel nor a Siren. It's actually more advanced than either of those."

"All attempts to communicate with the vessel have been ignored. Our radar indicates that it is very large and not like anything we've seen. Compared to our battle with the Siren Omitter, this thing will be much tougher," Howe added, dressed much more properly for this kind of engagement.

"Get me a visual." The holographic display zoomed in further on the object as an outline of the vessel made Gabriel's blood go cold. The slanted metal plates with blue veins running along the hull only could come from Ironblood ships. The sole object that possessed that outline had to be the Leviathan. But how could it have lived after being blown to kingdom come? "We have to engage right now before it reaches the city."

"What is it, Admiral? Surely it couldn't be that mechanical beast we fought weeks ago," Queen Elizabeth doubted that marvel of technology could rise from the depths to challenge them once more. Even if it was repaired, it was going up against the might of an entire nation.

"That's exactly what it is. Deploy any available forces we have to shell it and force it to engage. I can't imagine what it has in mind for the city. Keep it at a distance and do not underestimate the firepower it possesses. It has the capacity to knock out your rigging if you are too close." Once the order was given, the kansen in the room began to shuffle out to their positions. No doubt every available gun was going to be needed since there wasn't the advantage of multiple nations ready to engage. Any reinforcements would take days to arrive, and that's if they could steam at full without the need to refuel.

Despite the order given, Queen Elizabeth had her own. "Sheffield, stay with the Admiral in case we have uninvited guests. I'll have the guards be on high alert and looking for any potential troublemakers while I lead the fleet to handle our guests."

"Yes, your majesty." The maid bowed while the rest of the Maid Corps escorted the Queen to battle. Although, Sheffield was far from the only one that had stayed behind to keep Gabriel safe.

Looking up from the holotable, Gabriel noted Ash and Ember looked out the magnificent glass windows towards the sea where the Leviathan approached. Wraith surely had to be behind all this, that was for certain. If those two were staying to keep him safe, that only meant Wraith wouldn't be far behind. The only thing that Gabriel could wonder is how Wraith preferred to operate his battles.

"Any information on how Wraith fights his battles would be valuable intel right now," Gabriel inquired with his eyes squarely on the gameboard in front of him. Blue symbols began to appear meaning that the Royal Navy was already deploying forces to intercept. Good, can't have the Leviathan fire that pulse and knock out the port's power.

The fallen carrier turned in his direction with a look he hadn't seen since the attack on NY Harbor. That look that could send a chill down anyone's spine with potential danger about to be unleashed. "I have only heard about Wraith's methods but never seen them in action. I'm afraid that I can be of no help besides making sure you are safe."

The Admiral wanted to ask for some sort of information that might be useful but if Ash could not be helpful, there was little he could do. Right now, he should focus on making sure the Royal fleet engages the Leviathan as smoothly as possible and drive it away. With the blue symbols getting much closer to a single red blip on the map, the engagement range was about to be crossed.

"_We are in a position to fire, Admiral. Shall I have the ladies give our guest our hospitality?" _The radio crackled with Queen Elizabeth's voice, her confidence in her home fleet no doubt reasonable.

With a slightly amused smile, Gabriel answered the Queen's call to action. "Let's give them the opening act."

His attention turned to the projections as tiny forms flew towards the intended target. After thirty seconds, the forms turned into small clouds of projected explosions. The battleships had the range to fire on the Leviathan before it could fire back and it was showing just like last time. However, that time was a bait maneuver while most of the beast was exposed while this time it had it's armored back tanking the volleys. Shell after shell exploding on the outer portion of the armor but not able to penetrate effectively.

"It learned from last time," Sheffield's comment was not without wisdom. It could be seen that the mechanical monster was not going to expose its underbelly while trying to close the distance. Could it be that it had upgraded itself to resist such attacks?

"Elizabeth, have the destroyers send a wall of torpedoes. It will have to dive underneath to avoid them and hit it with anti-submarine weapons to force it up." Gabriel will not let this beast get any closer and risk the lives of innocent civilians so long as he was in command.

"_An astute command, attendant. I was just thinking the same thing," _Valiant's voice rang through the radio despite the order given specifically for Queen Elizabeth.

Like clockwork, the Queen was not so easy to have her authority challenged. _"Sister?! The Admiral is giving me the order to give to the fleet. Not you! All destroyers, fire torpedoes, and ready depth charges."_

Many blue dots were now appearing from their side of the board and opposing the enemy. It was not expectant for all the torpedoes to hit but not even battleships could withstand multiple torpedo attacks without suffering the consequences. Thus, the same could be said for an enlarged sentient rigging trying to spear its way towards the port.

As Gabriel watched the torpedoes scream their way towards their prey, the projector suddenly shut off and the rooms were engulfed in darkness. Seconds later, crimson lights shone overhead to illuminate the pathways through the palace. It was like a scene from horror films or submarine documentaries with the engagement light blaring.

"Someone cut out the power but our backup generators will suffice to run most of the equipment. Master, I believe our guests are here." Sheffield stated, pistols materializing in an instant to the maid's hands.

"Is it possible to cut off electricity to the palace?" Gabriel questioned, looking out towards the city to still see the lights undisturbed.

His answer would come from Ember as the heavy cruiser drew her sword. "We are now in the spider's web."

* * *

"Good work, I was beginning to think that the codes would be changed by the time we got access." A feminine voice spoke belonging to a masked individual. The London nights were beautiful to gaze at with all the lights being little beacons throughout the streets. From the view of an apartment, she could see the palace losing all those beacons so suddenly.

"I had millions of combinations running simultaneously so getting past any firewalls wasn't an issue." The blue hue coming from a portable device lit up the prosecutor's face to what would be described as a multitude of lenses. Like those of arachnid's, this man had several 'eyes' all over his helmet that seemed to be displaying different screens. Numbers in the thousands were cycling through each lens before deactivating shortly. "Boss, you got an opening."

The radio crackled through his helmet with the crystal clear voice of the sender. _"Good, lock down all hallways and keep the guards occupied with unlocking the doors. Nightingale and I will be in position."_

"Already done. Should I have Leviathan move to phase two?"

"_Go ahead, we're already inside."_

The female from earlier turned towards her multi-eyed friend, "If the boss is already inside, what was the point of powering down the palace? He can just sneak in and steal the m-"

"And that is why you're not the one running all the tech. A little chaos goes a long way in securing valuable cargo. Watch and learn, rookie." The multi-eyed man waved off his partner's question. The operation was quite simple but she was overthinking the whole intention.

* * *

The hallways of the palace that were once basking in the radiance of white walls now seemed corrupted by the crimson hands of the emergency lights. Any form of relief and comfort was vanquished as guards were desperately trying to open doors that had sealed remotely. Several hallways were sealed away by security doors that were now betraying their makers. Despite that, it hardly fazed the hardened warriors that traveled down the remaining corridors.

Gabriel had stayed behind with Sheffield being his sole bodyguard in case of any assassins lurking amongst the shadows. The night was a perfect cover for anyone to sneak inside the palace while it was locked down. Even so, there were guards everywhere and trying to override many of the closed-off portions. So what was the point in trapping themselves inside?

"The Admiral is safe within that room, so what does Wraith want from this place?" Ash wracked her brain with any potential strategic resource the palace might have that would entice a soldier. There were weapons inside, many small arms but none of the heavier equipment would be easy to transport. Wraith was not a murderer, as far as she knew, so that ruled at any potential assassination attempts.

"Is there anything the Royal Navy has hidden?" Ember asked, the crimson darkness of the hallways almost camouflaging her if it weren't for her white uniform.

Her question did make the carrier wonder. "Unsure, even in our timeline, the Royal Navy wasn't so keen on revealing secrets. If there is something, we don't know about it."

Ember stopped in her tracks, "I believe that's the point. We don't know what they are after so they might be among us. They might already be after their objective as we speak."

"That objective being?"

"Whatever hides beneath this castle."

* * *

Lasers and shells rained over the darkened skies with storm clouds observing the battle underneath. Howling winds screamed into the seas, causing ripples that sent barreling waves that most would avoid. For the kansen of the Royal Navy, this was just another ordinary day but with one large problem. One mechanical beast bearing down on them with everything in its arsenal.

Several of their numbers received blows that forced them back to port but a majority of the fleet was relatively unharmed. However, the armor plating was holding a lot more than expected.

"It seems our guns are having little to no effect. Valiant, would you please break its defenses?" Queen Elizabeth fired another salvo that seemingly bounced off the serpent's body. Compared to their last engagement, it didn't take much to pierce the outer shell and begin internal damage. Now, it was almost like the armor was reforged to counter such attacks.

Valiant smugly giggled, "Having trouble today are we, sister? Very well, I shall show you what a true battleship is capable of." She too fired a salvo, but glowing with a red aura. Once the shells impacted, there was an audible groan coming from the beast as the shells had their intended effect.

Howe, who had taken an artillery position beside the other battleships, saw the opening. "Truly a display of royalty. All ships, open fire!"

The roar of guns echoed in the air as explosions followed in their wake. The Leviathan roared ferociously but the sudden weakening of its armor had begun to take its toll. Surprisingly, the beast dove back into the water and double backed away from the battlefield.

Queen Elizabeth triumphantly smiled as their objective was complete, although, it would have been much more glorious if they could hang the head of the monster over her throne. "Victory is ours, good work everyone. Let's return back to the palace and celebrate our great triumph. Admiral, do you read?"

There was no response on the other end, the Queen still in high spirits simply excused it as the man not being near the radio. After a minute, she radioed again. "Admiral, the beast has been sent packing. How are things on your end?"

Again, no response came and Elizabeth was beginning to get a bit annoyed that she got no response. Now was not the time to be playing games with her or falling asleep during an important victory. "Servant! Answer me this instant!"

While Elizabeth yelled into the radio, Hood noticed that the palace was not alight with the bright lights. It was shadowed in the darkness of the night in contrast to the life-filled city. "Your Majesty, I believe that our foe was not Leviathan but whoever is at the palace."

"A distraction? Hm, yes, you may be right." The petite kansen retrieved her royal behavior before she let it run from her. "Quickly now, to the palace."

* * *

While the battle was fought outside and the fallen kansen went to restore power, Gabriel had not been idle. Currently, he was scouring the entire throne room for some sort of backup power so he could at least get communications running. Despite his efforts, Sheffield had to remind him that the backup generators were located somewhere so they were still in the dark.

"Sheffield, answer me this, why are you not the one restoring the power? You are the only one who knows this palace inside out besides the guards, who are busy with opening the doors." Gabriel walked around the room to think of their next action. The wait to restore power to the building was getting to him with the possibilities of Wraith being involved.

The maid answered in her monotone voice as usual. "Master, I was assigned to guard you. There are also members of the Royal Navy who would not trust those women in keeping you safe. It is a maid's duty to ensure her master shall never fall to harm."

"I can see your point. If Wraith is involved with this, he is really good at selectively targeting. The rest of London seems to be unaffected by the looks of it." The lights outside were almost mocking them in their perpetual darkness.

"Clearly our opponent knows their craft. With most of the fleet engaged with the Leviathan, it is up to us to repel any trespassers. However, that is next to impossible to accomplish." Sheffield joined the Admiral in observing the city, the clacking of her heels against the floor being the only sound in the room. "I do enjoy beautiful nights like this if it weren't for our guests."

Gabriel looked over to the smaller maid with curiosity brimming. "Do you now? I assume it happens to coincide with your skills as a spy."

"You are correct. Nights like these have much fewer people to annoy you with their senseless noise. The silence can be quite blissful when all you can hear is the wind on your face and the leaves rustling."

"Ah, that is like you." Sheffield was nowhere a sociable type like the other maids, being she took her duties more seriously. Although Gabriel found some of her methods a bit extreme, it did come from a difference in views. She simply liked the peace and quiet in a more nocturnal way; just like Intrepid liked to stargaze. They could probably be good friends if they ever had a chance to talk.

Their peaceful conversation was interrupted when the ground began to shift. The first response either of them took was to press themselves against the wall until the shaking dimmed. Was that an unexpected earthquake? Either the earth was playing games with them or it was just by coincidence. "Earthquakes? I don't remember there being a potential for one today."

Sheffield didn't seem to take it that way either. "There isn't. Master, follow closely, and have that weapon out. I believe I know where our intruders might be."

"That being?" Gabriel questioned, the hint not being clear to him. A little rumble occurred and now Sheffield was sure she knew where Wraith could be. But, taking the maid's orders, he pulled out his weapon and followed closely.

Sheffield went over to Queen Elizabeth's throne, pressing her fingers on one of the armrests. As if some hidden button was there in plain sight, the throne suddenly moved over to reveal a staircase going downward. Sheffield produced a couple of flashlights under her dress, leaving many to wonder where she keeps those. "Master, very few have visited the tunnels. Do keep close so you don't get lost."

"Lead the way." Thus, the duo went down with weapons raised and flashlights illuminating the darkness

* * *

In a similar vein, two figures walked through the ancient-looking tunnels that loomed over them. Bright lights dispelled any shadows with the thudding of their heavy boots thumping against the ground. Their entrance to these closely guarded secrets just so happened to be found in Big Ben, not surprisingly compared to the distance to the palace. Although, their time traveling these unused passageways was not without difficulty.

"Hold." The first said, raising his closed fist to signal his companion. The duo stopped to the repeated image of dirt tunnels. However, the leader tapped the side of his helmet before his visor began to shimmer and reveal a multitude of lasers in front of them. "Huh, someone has been renovating."

"Our cargo should be just down this passageway. That explains the lasers." The other spoke in a feminine voice. She too had a full helmet coupled with a visor system graced upon her by future technology. "Hey Spi, you mind shutting these down?"

"_No can do, you got to shut them off manually or sort them out," _A man answered through her helmet.

The leader nodded, "Plan B it is. Short wave pulse."

The companion grabbed a small ball that was no larger than a baseball with several veins running through it. Pressing the center of it, she threw it roughly in the middle of the lasers and waited. Once the ball came to a stop, a sudden burst of energy radiated out of it; causing the lasers to shut off but almost making the surrounding area rumble. "You think they felt that?"

"Most likely, double-time it. We cannot leave without that cargo." The two of them began to sprint down the passway as fast as they could. If they were lucky, anyone who felt that would assume it was simply an earthquake. But, they would learn that it wasn't so simple.

For Gabriel and Sheffield would be close by.

**Wow, this is the longest chapter I have written so far in comparison to my other ones. I was originally going to contain this whole thing in one chapter but after getting some writing advice, I decided to split the original chapter into two. So, here is part one and I will be working on part two. I hope you guys are enjoying everything I have written and I also hope you all are having a good day/night.**

**Stay tuned**


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